


The Distance Between Us

by butterflyishida



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-24
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 22:27:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/544524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/butterflyishida/pseuds/butterflyishida
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their relationship crumbling, Harry and Louis are sent on a private vacation to help them figure out why it was that they fell in love in the first place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not affiliated with any members of One Direction or their family and friends. This is a work of fiction. 
> 
> This was originally inspired by Rhianna's 'California King Bed' so occasional lyrics or allusions to the song may pop up. 
> 
> The rating will go up to the NC-17 level.

Half lidded green eyes watched the clouds go by, cheek resting on fist as the roar of the plane's engine drowned out every other noise in the cabin. Hours into the flight and Harry hadn't budged, lost in his own thoughts as a meal was put in front of him, went cold then was taken away again. Next to him Louis stared in the opposite direction, hand to his lips as he chewed on a fingernail absently. The movie on the jet's large screen was holding some of his attention but none of his interest. It was just something to watch while a mile above the earth. His seat buddy wasn't very entertaining this flight nor were the other boys across the aisle. Niall was asleep on Liam's shoulder, Liam was watching the movie with a thousand times more interest than Louis would ever be able to muster for an animated film and Zayn was sketching in an art book, headphones covering his ears. Most of their flights weren't like this. A casual observer would think the group strangers from the way they were ignoring each other. A fan would panic about in fighting but really it was a rare quiet moment brought on by Harry's introspective mood. Consciously recognized or not, the youngest member’s emotions tended to dictate the group dynamic. When he was feeling loud and silly, the others followed suit without even realizing. Tears and rage brought out similar traits and times like this brought on silence and sleep. 

At the five hour mark, almost to the minute, Harry's trance broke and he shifted to lean slightly against Louis.  
“Going back to LA will be nice. I like the studio we use there.” he murmured, studying the upholstery pattern on the back of the chair in front of him now instead of the clouds.  
“Ya. Sunshine, extra greasy food and fans with their tits out to sign.” Louis replied with a sigh, turning his head to look down at the top of Harry's green beanie. He definitely wasn't wearing that for the rumoured reasons today.  
“No Eleanor though.” Harry offered, tipping his head to smile up at the older boy but all he got was an annoyed huff in response.  
“That's what you think.” Louis grumbled and moved away for a moment to pull his phone from his carry on bag and opened up a message “From the big boss himself.” he explained and handed the phone over to his companion so he could read the text message.

_“Eleanor is being flown out next weekend. You will put in a real effort this time or so help me god, I will force a sex tape out of you and leak it myself”_

Harry paled as he read, handing the phone back with wider than usual eyes.  
“That's very to the point.” he commented, trying a smile while Louis rolled his eyes and shoved his phone away.  
“Very.” he muttered and slumped lower in his chair, knees hitting the seat in front of him. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, all screaming signals that he was done with the conversation. Harry nodded, wanting to continue talking now but getting the message loud and clear. Absently picking fluff off the leg of Louis's track pants, he spoke softly, a sigh in his voice.  
“It'll be okay Lou. Everything will be better in America.” 

 

The rest of the flight was uneventful, a bump in the landing making Zayn swear as his pencil lead snapped and left an unwanted dark mark on his drawing. His fault for not putting his tray in an upright position. Disembarking the flight was equally uneventful, a group of tired young men who'd received wake up calls at 3 am following their security through the maze that was baggage claim and immigration. Loading a trolley with his wheelie case, Harry reached for Niall's duffel from the floor when Paul stopped him, putting the bag in the blonde's arms instead and turning to look at the confused baby of the band.  
“Harry, Louis; leave your bags with the boys. You've got a different destination.” the manager instructed, fishing a paper package from the pocket on the side of his cargo shorts. The two boys exchanged glances and Louis raised an eyebrow curiously.  
“Us together alone? Isn't that the opposite of what we're to be doing these days?” he asked, arms crossed and hip jutted out. The sass was going to be coming out in spades any moment now.  
“It is. It's also too bad you both got food poisoning on the flight. Have a couple day's rest. These lads will hold down the fort.” Paul handed Harry the package while their band mates grinned at them. Zayn dropped a pair of backpacks on Louis' feet and Liam pressed a third into Harry's arms.  
“Go figure out why you fell in love in the first place. See you in three days.” he instructed then walked away, tugging a foolishly beaming Niall and a chuckling Zayn with him, letting a member of their team figure out the rest of the baggage. 

Louis and Harry stared after them with their jaws slack, then to their manager then to each other, expressions not changing.  
“We get time together? Alone? For just us?” Harry asked, not quite believing it. Paul nodded, giving a bag at Louis' feet a slight kick.  
“Mmhmm. All covered. Paparazzi free resort with no one but those of us who flew over with you in the know. Take Liam's advice hey? You both look miserable lately.” gesturing to one of the security team, Paul gave him the instructions on where the boys needed to be while Harry shrugged on the backpack Liam had handed him, Louis picking up the pair he'd been given as well.  
“Nice treat this is, what do you think?” Harry asked, expression brightening when he seen a smile tugging at Louis' lips.  
“Aye. Definitely no Eleanor this time.” his smile went wide at Harry's laugh. He offered a hand which Harry took after only a moment's hesitation and followed after their security to the gate for their next flight.

 

Settling into his seat on the small jet, Harry glanced around wide eyed. There were only a dozen other passengers aboard, all well prepared for a sunshine vacation while he and Louis were in long haul flight uniforms of sweatpants, hoodies and beanies covering their heads.  
“I still don't know where we're going. Do the tickets say?” he asked, turning to look at the package Louis was studying in his hands.  
“Mexico. A resort at the end of the peninsula apparently. High end. Here.” Louis replied briefly, dropping the pamphlet on Harry's lap while he flipped through the itinerary list. “Flights about an hour. We're not scheduled to do anything apparently. We land in time for lunch and leave just before noon in three days. We've got a bunch of options of things to do. Ooh, para-sailing. That could be interesting.” he continued while Harry absorbed the information about the resort. It was a sea side paradise apparently though most Mexican resorts promised that. Sea side with forestry behind that was available for exotic tours of wildlife and nature. There was a restaurant, a food court and room service. Each room had a private pool and a spectacular view. If they wanted, a person could never leave the room for the duration of the stay. Harry told Louis that, getting a soft laugh in response and an arm around his shoulder. The younger boy immediately cuddled in against his side, arm coiling around Louis' middle.  
“No complaints about doing that from me. Clothing optional.” the blue eyed boy teased, earning a laugh from his boyfriend.  
“Clothing in never an option when it comes to me.” Harry giggled, both of them falling into laughter as the plane roared along on its path to the southern most point of the Mexican peninsula.


	2. Chapter 2

“A California king bed? Shit, this place does have everything.” Louis whistled, dumping his backpack on to said bed, looking around the room with a nod of approval. There wasn't much else in the 'bed room' area other than the gigantic bed with it's soft brown and cream sheets, a light gauzy curtain separating it from the rest of the hotel suite. Harry came from inspecting the tiny kitchenette, touching the gauze with furrowed eyebrows.  
“Is this supposed to be for romance or to keep the bugs out?” he asked, a smile tugging on his lips but it fell away when Louis shrugged, not acknowledging his attempt at humour.   
“Probably both. What's our view like?” he moved away to pull back the sun blocking curtains to peer out over their balcony and it's miniature infinity pool, sized just right for a handful of people wanting to relax. Biting his lip, Harry pushed the curtain away and crawled on to the bed to examine what their bandmates had packed for them. Warm weather clothes not too different from what they had packed themselves for being in LA, a box or two of condom variety packs and other sex essentials. He was a little worried about who had gone out and picked those up for them. If it was Niall, then the whole damn country probably knew about their sex lives. Or lack there of lately.... Harry sighed and packed it all back up again along with the clothes he'd flown in. It was strange to be in a tshirt and shorts when it was just he and Louis alone in a hotel room. Naked didn't quite feel right at the moment though. Putting the bag away neatly in a corner, he went to join his boyfriend at the window, putting his larger hand over Louis' to pull the curtain open wider, pleased that it wasn't pulled away, fingers even curling together instinctively.  
“So what is the view like? You didn't answer your own question.” Harry asked, leaning close to the glass to try and pick out what had caught Louis' attention long enough to keep him at the window for more than a few breaths.  
“It's gorgeous, we got the ocean. I was just watching a tour boat go out. Wonder what it's for...” the older boy replied, lips pursing in thought. Damn, that made Harry want to kiss him.   
“If it's shark diving then I want a go. Or dolphin swimming. Or just going out snorkeling.” Harry decided, turning away to look back out towards the boat and squash his temptation.  
“The itinerary we got listed something about reef swims. That and the para-sailing sound good.” Louis nodded and let go of the curtain and Harry's fingers in turn. He glanced at his now empty hand, tongue running along his bottom lip as he considered it then reached out to lace his fingers back together with the younger boys, smiling slightly at the grin Harry wore due to the simple gesture.   
“Only if you're going with me.” Harry insisted, pulling their hands to his lips for a quick kiss.   
“Who else would i be going with? The tour guide?” Louis laughed and pushed their hands up against Harry's face, squishing his nose and making him stagger back with a giggle.   
“I don't know. Might be someone else around who won't cry when they're a hundred feet in the air.” that smile yanked at Louis' heart, especially since he knew he hadn't been causing it all that often lately.  
“Nah, we left Zayn back with the other boys didn't we? He'd be a riot on that. Heights, water and being completely dependant on a stranger for his safety. He'd piss himself.” that brought on more sniggers for the teenager, Harry leaning in to rest his head on Louis' shoulder affectionately through his laughter.  
“Let's go see if we can get it videoed. Watching it would be enough to make him want to throw up.” he suggested, gesturing to the doorway. Louis paused for a moment, glancing towards the bed for a brief few seconds then quickly back to Harry.  
“Ya, we'll schedule somethings and find some food since your dressed for once.” that comment sobered Harry up without intending to. The curly haired brunette tugged self consciously at his shirt, letting go of Louis' hand to do it.  
“I could undress if you want me to...” he offered quietly, hesitant green eyes looking up from the simple pattern of his shirt to meet his boyfriend's equally unsure blue pair. Louis glanced back to the bed again then shook his head.  
“Let's go see when the next reef tour is.” he decided and took Harry's hand again to pull him out of the hotel suite and the sudden awkwardness.

The sun was warm and everything was open air in the resort, Harry stood facing the sun like a meerkat, absorbing all the heat while Louis leant against the concierge counter to get further details about what they had to offer. When tell-tale inflections started appearing in his accent, Harry turned his head towards his boyfriend with a small smile on his lips. He was getting good news. Louis looked up at him with a wide grin, eyes sparkling.   
“We can do the para-sailing right now if we want. The boat can be readied to go out in five minutes. That's all we need to get our shorts on. What do you say?” how could Harry say anything but yes to that enthusiasm. He nodded, his eyes gaining their own sparkle as Louis cheered and began scribbling in their details, fishing out his wallet to pay for the experience. Once their lives were signed away, Louis' hand grabbed Harry's without any hesitation this time and raced back to their room, all but dragging his boyfriend along in his hurry. Clothes went flying once they hit the inside of their suite, Louis standing bare as he dumped the contents of their three bags on the bed, muttering to himself how he would kill his band-mates if no swimming trunks had been packed. Harry found himself laughing at the antics as he gathered their shed clothes, folding them up and putting them on a chair next to the balcony opening.  
“They wouldn't be that cruel Lou. They'll be in there somewhere.” he grinned, watching the other tear apart the carefully packed clothes, tossing whatever that didn't resemble clothing over his shoulder, spreading his mess across the carpeting. Dodging a tube of toothpaste, Harry pressed himself casually against Louis' back, reaching past him to tug a brightly patterned pair of shorts from between a sandwich of tshirts. “See? Here's mine.” he blinked when the other groaned softly and glanced down, blushing when he remember they were both completely bare. “Oops. Sorry.” he backed up and bent to pull on his shorts. Louis glanced over his shoulder, cheeks flushed prettily but his eyebrow was raised in question.  
“Did you just apologize for pressing your body up against my naked arse?” he asked, Harry blushing brighter when it was put like that.   
“I suppose I did. Just reflex. We're supposed to be getting ready to go out on the water after all. Find your shorts yet?” he offered, shrugging as he got his shorts up on his well defined hips.   
“They're here.” Louis replied, turning around with his preferred blue pair in his hand, sitting down on the edge of the bed to pull them off, his giddiness having dissipated. “You don't have to apologize for touching me you know. It's kind of your right after all.” he explained, looking up from his lap with critical blue eyes, studying Harry as if he hadn't been with him every moment of his life for the past two years. The curly haired boy gave him a half smile and offered his hand out to him.  
“Sorry love. Like I said, reflex.” he apologized, squeezing the smaller hand that slipped into his own, pulling him close so he could raise hands to his lips for a quick kiss.   
“Strange reflex to have.” Louis murmured, leaning up on his toes to catch with his lips one of the kisses his knuckles were getting. It lingered a bare moment then Harry stepped back, putting a finger to Louis' nose.  
“Our boat will be waiting.” he reminded and pulled Louis along, grabbing a pair of towels off a maid's cart as they headed out to the docks to meet their boat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried a new spacing style in hopes that reading is easier on the eyes. Please let me know if it's a help or a hindrance.

Hand pressed against his stomach, Harry practised some of the breathing techniques they used backstage before a concert to help calm his sudden nerves. He was watching a boat out on the water with a pair of people already 100 feet in the air on the same adventure they were about to take and every part of him was reminding him how much he hated roller coasters, heights and just about everything else this ride was about. Their own boat was heading to the dock for them, a set up like a pair of beach chairs on the back with a parachute neatly folded on top. His insides felt like they were being ground up in a meat processor, the closer the boat came the closer he felt to throwing up into the water beside them. Louis was of course the exact opposite, eagerly bouncing on his toes in excitement for the experience, babbling on about how high he wanted it to go and what it would feel like being lifted into the sky by the air currents.

“Please Lou, enough. I'm going to be sick.” Harry groaned, resting a hand on the other's shoulder as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Louis looked up at his greenish face and his smile grew a mile wide. 

“Ahh come on Hazza, we'll be fine. They do this everyday. And if we do drop, we know how to swim!” his attempt at assurance was not appreciated, one green eye cracking open with a dark glare. 

“Don't even joke about that.” he warned, long fingers tightening on the other's shoulder when the boat bumped into the dock and rocked them both. 

“It'd be just like that drop ride we did at the amusement park the other month. Just wetter.” Louis couldn't help but continue teasing even if his boyfriend seemed looked completely miserable. Harry went just a little greener around the eyes and his shoulder's lurched, throwing a hand up against his mouth as he gagged.

“Nope. Not doing it. Have fun. I'll take pictures from the beach.” he began to stagger back down the dock but Louis caught him around the waist and dragged him back. Harry may have several inches in height on him but Louis was heavier, stronger and far more coordinated, making pulling him on to the boat an easy task apart from the whining whimpers the younger boy was making. 

“Come on Haz, you promised me. It'll be fun and you can hold my hand the whole time. No one to stop you here.” Louis laughed, letting go only when they were on the boat and it was pulling away to head into deeper water. Harry dropped into his over-whelmed fetal position, hunkered down on the floor of the tour boat while Louis made nice with the people who would be responsible for their lives very shortly. Rules and safety instructions were gone over while Louis stood next to Harry, idly stroking his hair and getting him to come round, curly-haired head eventually looking up when the woman who had the harness in her hand mentioned that there had been a pod of dolphins swimming with an earlier boat and they planned to head the same direction.

“We could see dolphins?” he asked curiously, dropping his backside to the floor and crossing his legs, loosing the nauseous look for a curious one instead.

“Ya, six out of ten times we do. We drive fairly close to a few reefs too and the larger fish are visible from the air. Someone reported seeing a large ray last week but it was more likely their own shadow. They tend not to come in this close during the day.” the woman replied with a shrug then gestured for the boys to follow her to the back of the boat where their seats were. Interest peaked at the mention of seeing some sea creatures, Harry was more willing to settle into his spot, not forgetting Louis' offer as they got on and clung tightly to his hand. Buckled in and the sail unfurled, the boat sped up to catch the wind. Before they began to rise, Louis tugged on Harry's hand and leant close to whisper in his ear.

“I protect you from crowds of thousands, you think I won't take on the ocean to keep you safe?” he murmured softly with a smile, only half joking and Harry knew it, a light flush spreading across his cheeks. 

“Heh, my knight in shinning armour.” he murmured back then squeaked when the chair jerked and they headed upwards into the sky. Despite the prospect of dolphins, Harry covered his eyes with one hand, the other squeezing a death grip on Louis' fingers. The blue eyed boy laughed and rubbed their joined hands over his boyfriend's thigh reassuringly, enjoying the ride up and the salty breeze on his face. Once they were steady in the air, the crystal blue water below them showing hints of what was beneath the surface, Louis leant over to whisper in Harry's ear again. 

“Open up those eyes. We're just floating along now and I think I can see fish down there.” he gave him a light nudge, lifting their hands to pry Harry's other hand from his face. It was a slow process but green eyes did open and their owner took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he took in the view.

“Wow....” he sighed, looking around them with wide eyes. Bright blue above and below them, the para-sail shading them from the shinning sun, the resort looking tiny between the white sand of the beach and the dense greenery of the forest behind then. “This is beautiful.” he added, looking over his seatmate with a awed smile. 

“Not so bad then, eh love?” Louis gave him a grin of his own and leant back in his seat, snickering when their ride was jostled and Harry whimpered. “Relax and enjoy. Look down over your side instead of leaning forward though. You might tip us over doing that.” he advised, remembering what their guide had told them while Harry was still folded in on himself. Harry nodded and followed the instructions, peeking over the arm of his seat to watch the water below them with wonder, calling to the gulls that flew by beneath them, skimming the surface of the water for food. Louis watched the younger boy for a few moments before going back to enjoying the ride for himself, cheering each time they got caught in a wind sheer, making them sharply shoot up or drop down a few feet. His amusement became peppered with annoyance when Harry squeaked or whimpered each time. Another slight drop had him giving the other a none to gentle nudge in the side, drawing his eyebrows down when his boyfriend turned with a worried look.

“We're not going to fall into the water, stop squealing like a baby. I told you I'd protect you didn't I?” he scolded, pulling his hand away to fold arms over his chest. Harry looked down at his empty hand then curled it around the bar that held them in.

“Sorry....” he murmured and looked back to the water, not even smiling when one of the dolphins he'd been excited to see broke the surface of the water with a dramatic leap. The rest of their trip was silent, Harry biting down hard on the inside of his lip to keep quiet when they were reeled in, fake smiles plastered to their faces when they were helped out of their seats and asked how they liked it. Harry gave a brief but friendly response before heading to the nose of the boat, watching the water split before them as they headed back to shore while Louis hung back, asking to learn more about the activities the resort provided. 

 

Once they were back to the resort's dock, waving goodbye to their tour guides with a small memory card in hand with a recording of their adventure, Harry gathered his towel and hugged it to his chest. 

“So did you like it?” he asked carefully, tipping his head to the side to watch Louis' expression. 

“Ya, it was good. We could have been put down in the water you know but I figured you wouldn't have liked that.” the other replied, flicking his fringe out of his eyes and started walking back to the beach, his own towel slung around his shoulders.

“Not at all. Thanks for not getting them to do that.” Harry replied, following as he eyed the chip in his hand as he walked. Not paying attention to the planks beneath him, he tripped over a coil of rope and staggered to get his balance, a warm arm encircling his hips just before he tipped head first into the water. 

“Told you I'd save you from the ocean.” Louis gave him a smile and tugged him a little closer, fingers resting on a well defined hipbone. 

“Definitely my knight in shinning armour.” Harry repeated himself from before they went up, putting the memory card into Louis' free hand. “You better hold that. I don't want to loose it.”


	4. Chapter 4

Returning to their room after a late dinner, Harry still licking chocolate icing from his fingers, Louis fought with the door card, his hips shaking to a beat in his head. He won the battle to get into the room after only a minute and a half. 

“They have a club here you know. We should go.” he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. Harry laughed and pushed the door open, crowding them both inside. 

“We'll go in a bit.” he replied, slipping passed his lover to kick off his shoes and shed his clothes. 

“I'mma have a shower first. Don't run away.” with that, he winked and disappeared into the bathroom without an invite and locking the door. Louis jiggled at the handle and pouted “Hey what about me??” he whined, giving the door a shake, the giggles behind the door making him laugh too.

“You can wait ten minutes for me!” Harry called back, “Pick what you want me to wear!” and the sound of water drowned out whatever else they had to say to each other. Louis decided he was okay with that and went hunting through their bags, making a mess again as he tossed around their clothes. There was nothing worthy of wearing to a club though for either of them. Even if it was probably going to be a shitty little resort club, they couldn't very well go in board shorts and tshirts that didn't even hug their skin. His good mood disappeared and he shoved all the clothes he'd looked twice at on the ground, sitting down heavy on the end of the bed, frowning to himself until Harry came out of the shower, skin damp and hair in wet ringlets. 

“What's wrong?” he asked, the smile he'd come out with falling from his lips at the look on Louis' face.

“We've nothing to wear. Clearly Zayn wasn't in charge of clothing.” Louis replied sourly, giving the backpack at his feet a kick and flopped back on the mattress, glaring at the ceiling as if it were to blame. 

“Oh...well....we can just stay in here. We have a pool to ourselves and I think there's an iPod dock around in here somewhere. Could I interest you in a wet tshirt contest?” Harry offered, sitting down next to his boyfriend after he tightened the towel around his waist.

“You'd win. Let's just stay in here and fuck or something.” shrugging the half hearted suggestion, Harry put his hand on the waist band of Louis' shorts and pushed them down a little.

“I'm game.” he agreed, grunting as he got shoved down on the bed, a feathered haired pop idol taking up residence of his lap. “We can go out and buy clothes for clubbing somewhere tomorrow.” he added   
and was quickly shut up with lips sealing over his own.

 

 

Every inch of skin bare and wrists pinned to the bed next to his head, Harry gazed up at Louis, bottom lip between his teeth. Their less than enthusiastic decision to fuck had become an awkward staring contest after the first kiss, both hesitating as if they weren't sure if what they could do next. Louis licked his lips and began to lean down for another kiss as Harry spoke, lips hovering an inch apart. 

“I think I’ve forgotten how to do this.” he tried to joke about it, his smirk only making it half way across his lips, leaving him looking like he was grimacing instead. It made Louis laugh anyway, a short huff of breath and the corners of his lips turning upwards.

“How can you forget in a week?” he asked, shifting so his weight back so it was less on Harry's wrists and more on his own knees. The hold he had on the other's arms was the only place of contact between them. Another person could have easily slid into the space between them...

“Two weeks actually. 16 days if you want to get particular and we were more than a little drunk.” Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders.

“Really? What, you keep count?” Louis asked incredulously, snorting another laugh and leaning down to brush his lips over the corner of Harry's jaw, as good a place to start as any. That should help him remember how they did things.

“Ya, I keep count. Better end the loosing streak hmm?” the younger boy tried to smile for his boyfriend, head tipping back automatically. Everything was automatic, an instinctual reaction to a lover's touch. Louis' body lowered to press close against the other, Harry's legs spread and wrapped tightly around his waist. They're bodies knew what to do but Harry found himself wondering when his heart had stropped pounding from emotion rather than just physical exertion. 

It was efficient sex, getting the job done even if Harry had spent it wishing Louis would let go of his wrists and hold on to his hands instead, Louis wishing that Harry would stop staring at the ceiling and look at him. They both got off and were left panting, foreheads together. Harry closed his eyes at that point, having no where else to look but Louis' face and he didn't trust himself to not start crying if their eyes met. Heartbeats returned to normal and sweat slick bodies separated from one another, rolling away to cuddle their pillows on their claimed sides of the bed. Backs to each other, neither noticed the tears slipping down the cheeks of their lover, the space between them feeling like ten thousand miles. 

 

 

After several hours of trying to sleep and actually hiding tears in his pillow, Harry slipped out of the bed, glancing over his shoulder to see if his movement had disturbed his bed mate. Louis didn't move, his chest rising and falling slowly, curled up on himself as he slept. Wishing he'd managed to shut off his mind long enough to do the same, Harry pulled the blankets over his boyfriend to keep the chill of the air conditioning off him then moved away to tug on shorts and find his phone. He pushed a pair of ear buds into his pocket then carefully opened the door to the balcony, stepping out into the cool night air. Breathing in a lungful of sand and surf, he felt himself relax a little in the silence and walked to the railing, trailing his finger through the warm water of their pool, the silky water swirling around their slender length welcomingly. 

A bat squeaked in the distance, red rimmed eyes searching for it through the moonlight, damp fingers absently getting wiped dry against checker board printed cotton. Unable to spot the creature, Harry shrugged and leant against the moulded cement that lined the balcony, resting his elbows atop it and slid his phone open, checking for messages and emails. He was mildly surprised to find nothing much of anything waiting for him, it was his personal phone not his work phone after all, only an 'i love you' text from his mum and a reminder from Niall to have fun and eat as much as possible at the buffets. The corner of his lips quirking upwards, he sent both back a reply, rolling his eyes when another message came back from Niall within a few moments. His amusement wasn't long lived. 'If you're up this late shouldn't you be fucking?' was the politely worded question that made Harry bite his lower lip, looking back to window where he knew Louis would be sleeping inside, his view blocked by the gauze curtain around the bed. After several false starts at a reply, Harry shook his head and left the message unanswered, fiddling around in his apps instead until he found the music player. Taking the ear buds from his pocket, he pushed the cord into the port and selected random, grimacing when a slow Rhianna song floated through the tiny speakers. 

“Just the reminder I needed. Thanks Rhi.” he murmured to himself, pressing a finger to the corner of his eye. He didn't turn it off though, he put it on repeat instead and rested his head in his hand, phone dangling over the railing from the strap clenched in his other hand.


	5. Chapter 5

The cool night air did the job laying in a soft bed couldn't and Harry ended up falling asleep out on the balcony in a lounge chair, Louis finding him there a few hours after sunrise. Studying him for a moment before going back into the room to find a blanket, he drug it out and covered the sleeping teenager with it, settling on to the side of the lounger himself, fingers stroking through curls. He watched him sleep quietly, not wanting to wake him just yet. The soft mumbles Harry made in his sleep made him smile a little, the corners of his eyes crinkling when he managed to distinguish his own name from the rest of the gibberish. He leant forward, brushing his lips against smooth cheeks and murmured in his boyfriend's ear.

“You going to sleep the day away love?” he asked, sitting back when Harry whined softly and reached up to rub a fist over his eye. He blinked blearily and looked around, confused about where he was.

“I fell asleep outside?” he asked, squinting at Louis as his eyes took their time adjusting to the sun's bright rays.

“Suppose so. Couldn't sleep in the bed?” Louis replied, resting a hand against Harry's forehead to serve as a shade. Harry bit at his lower lip, tilting his head so he was looking into Louis' eyes without his hand blocking the view. He took a moment before nodding, eyes dropping down to the blanket that was laid out across his legs.

“Guess not.” he replied softly, picking at loose threads. Louis nodded as well and took his hand away to chew at his thumbnail. He looked away from the other, out towards the ocean and its gently rolling waves.

“Last night kinda sucked didn't it?” he asked softly, keeping his eyes on the water even when Harry's large hand wrapped around his and drew it away from his lips, pulling it down to rest on the blanket.

“Ya...it did...” Harry slowly agreed in an equally quiet voice, fussing with Louis' nails as he held his hand. The older boy nodded at his agreement and turned his head to look to his boyfriend again instead, watching him gently prying the sand out from beneath jagged nails that hadn't seen a manicurist in a few weeks. Their gentle touches were always the same, slow and lingering, even in front of an audience of thousands. A second or two of contact stretched into an eternity. Louis smiled and turned his hand over to lace their fingers together and pulled at Harry's arm.

“Right...well....it's a new day. Breakfast and find out where those reef swims are held?” he instructed, giving another tug as he stood and yanked the blanket away with his free hand. Harry looked up at him, green eyes still touched with red at the corners, and pursed his lips in thought. Louis returned the look and tilted his head, giving him a third pull to get him to his feet. Harry nodded, partially to himself and stood, dusting at his shorts with his free hand.

“........sounds good.” he gave his lover a half smile and let himself be lead inside to put on fresh clothes.

 

“How does it look?” Harry asked around the snorkel mouth piece, grinning foolishly while Louis choked on his laughter, having to turn away to cover up the coughing fit he wound up with. Dry hair pressed down around the middle by the tight strap of the goggles, the curls puffed out above and below the band in a mad halo. The goggles themselves covered half the pop idol's face, the plastic lens a little bit magnified so eyes were exaggeratedly huge behind it. Then there was the snorkel; jammed between full lips and making them even bigger combined with that stupid, eager grin. Louis couldn't contain himself and was howling in laughter once his coughing fit passed. Harry frowned at him, eyes narrowing and took his snorkel out, rapping it atop Louis' head.

“It's not that funny! You look just as ridiculous.” he scolded, brushing his hair out of his plastic covered eyes. Louis kept on giggling, having to take off his own goggles because his laughter had made them loose suction against his face.

“Not possible. You have no idea how hilarious you look.” Louis countered, batting away the plastic pipe that kept coming down again his head. “Here, pose a minute. This needs to be forever documented.” he held up the underwater camera they'd bought in the gift shop before heading out. Harry gave him a glare and shook his head until Louis convinced him to take a picture with the both of them instead, taken by one of the other passengers aboard the boat that was taking them out to the reef. Both in their goggles and snorkels with wind blown hair and a touch of sunburn across their noses, they laughed hysterically together when they got the camera back and checked out the photo on the tiny digital screen.

“We have this years Christmas card photo ya?” Louis suggested after pulling his snorkel from his lips. Harry nodded in agreement, pulling his goggles off to wipe the tears of laughter from his eyes. 

“Too bad we're supposed to be stuck sick in a hotel room. This would be great to tweet.” Harry giggled, rubbing at the red indents the tight mask had left in his skin.

“Nope, this one is just for us. Here, selfie style.” Louis pushed his own goggles on top of his head, fringe sticking up wildly. Harry leaned close against his side with his biggest smile, both their eyes crinkling at the corners. After the snap of the shutter, they checked it out without the laughter this time, but still grinning. 

“That's a cute one.” Louis decided, turning the power off after they'd both had a good look at it. Harry hummed in agreement and stayed close against his boyfriend's side, quiet but happy to watch the world go by from the back of the tour boat. 

 

The reef was only a ten minute or so journey across the water into a private alcove teaming with fish that were visible from the sides of the boat. Despite the briefing that was given at the docks of the hotel, rules were gone over again before anyone got into the water. Three sharp whistles meant that a shark had been spotted and they were to return to the boat as quickly and calmly as possible. They were not to put their feet down against anything, which would keep them from unexpectedly finding fire coral as well as keep the reef from being damaged. If your legs got tired, float for a few minutes or come back to the boat. No souvenirs were to be taken, not even a pebble as everything was part of the reef's ecosystem and they were just visitors here. Harry and Louis nodded along with the rest of the group, hands squeezed together in excitement. Harry secretly hoped they did see a shark or two, or at least some dolphins again. He'd like to enjoy a dolphin sighting at least once on this vacation. Pulling masks back into place and inserting snorkels into mouths, they jumped in and headed towards the biggest collection of coral that they could see near by, hands still held together and the camera dangling from Louis' wrist. Using the gestures they had learnt on shore to point out different fish and sea creatures, as well as some of the sign language they had taught themselves, the boys swam along through the clear water happily, Harry often forgetting to stop smiling around his mouth piece and having to bob up to the surface to spit out mouthfuls of sea water. Louis snapped a picture of his disgusted face and cackled as he swam away fast from his boyfriend who was after vengeance. They splashed and wrestled in the water until someone told them off for disturbing the fish, both giving sheepish apologies and going back to swimming around like proper eco-tourists. The giddy excitement faded away to content laziness eventually, both boys swimming along slowly to admire the colourful world under the water, snapping photos, neither able to help themselves from reaching out to try and touch the striped and spotted fish that came close looking for a nibble of food. With nothing offered to them, they would swim away with a haughty swish of their tails. 

 

After close to a half hour, a single whistle from the boat singled that departure from the reef would be in ten minutes. Poking their heads above the surface, the boys looked around for the direction they should start heading in, giggles erupting between them again when they realized how far out they'd gotten.

“It'll have to be a brisk swim then.” Louis pointed out and let go of Harry's hand, pulling himself forward with a strong front crawl. 

“Not that brisk!” Harry protested and followed after him, using his lanky limbs to get in front of his lover easily, rolling on to his back to laugh at him when he was a dozen metres away. “Come on then love!” he called playfully, shrieking when Louis kicked it up a notch and came at him fast. With everyone else heading in towards the boat as well, they weren't concerned about getting told off again about disturbing the fish and happily made as much noise and disturbance in the water as they wished. Still fifty feet out from their destination, Louis abruptly stopped with a sharp hiss, reaching out to grab Harry's ankle and haul him close. Blinking owlish eyes, Harry swam back, tilting his head with a concerned look as Louis tried treading water while trying to inspect the top of his foot.

“Fuck, ow. Something got me.” he cursed through gritted teeth.

“Did you kick some of the coral?” Harry asked, sticking his head under to have a close look. Louis shook his head, biting down on his lower lip so he didn't cry out despite his foot feeling like it was catching fire after the initial shock of pain. Panting as it got worse, he tried rubbing his hand over the spot frantically and not sink at the same time. He was never going in the ocean again if this turned out to be another encounter with a sea urchin. It was Harry who discovered what had got him when he came to the surface with a shriek.

“JELLYFISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the longer wait this time. I broke my usb stick and thought I lost everything. Fortunately I had everything backed up on my work computer. YAY!

Panicked, Harry didn't even bother to wait for anyone from the boat to come and get them. He slung Louis' arm around his shoulders and hauled him back to the boat, thankful for the years of swimming lessons he'd been put through. Louis let him, concentrating on trying to rub the stinging sensation out of his foot now that he knew what had gotten him. It was definitely beginning to swell again. He had no luck in the ocean. Bumping into the side of the boat before he expected, Harry grunted and looked around for the ladder, head snapping back when he heard a voice above him.

“Hand 'im here son.” an middle age man instructed, leaning over the side, arms outstretched to take Louis off the curly-haired boy. Nodding, Harry pushed Louis upwards the best he could in the water with no footing for himself, getting dunked under in the process but once he felt Louis' weight disappear over his arms he was up and over the side of the boat, wiping messy strands from his hair.

“What do we do?? We pee on it right? That's what they said in Australia if it happened. I'll pee on him!” Harry rushed over to the bench, hands on the front of his shorts ready to shove them down. Both the crew member who'd pulled him up and the blue eyed boy raised their eyebrows at him, the older man shaking his head and raising a hand.

“Not necessary son. Really. We've vinegar water on board for just this kind of thing.” he explained, holding up a recycled ketchup bottle with a clear liquid splashing around inside before squirting the contents on to Louis' foot, getting a sigh of relief from him immediately.

“Oh shit that feels better.” he groaned, leaning against the fibreglass wall beside him, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm his thudding heart down. Harry slipped behind him, wrapping arms around his chest to hold him tight.

“Is he going to be okay?” he asked, giving the man a wide eyed look as he examined Louis' foot. 

“It's rare for the jellies to come into this cove but they're not particularly dangerous. Hurt like a bitch as you know now, but not deadly. You'll need to see a nurse once we're back to shore though, just to check it over. We'll radio for one to meet you on the dock.” he stood with a pat to Louis' knee, handing him the bottle of pain relief. “Get your boyfriend to squirt some more on if it starts stinging again but you stay still and rest it until we get to shore.” with that he was off, clapping a hand to Harry's shoulder to commend him with his olympic level speed swimming before drifting among the rest of the tourists to see how they enjoyed their swims. Both boys flushed faintly, Louis having to bite his tongue to keep himself from his usual automatic response of them not being boyfriends. Harry giggled softly and nuzzled his face between his lover's shoulder blades, considerably more relaxed now that everything was okay for the moment.

“I really would have peed on you to save you you know.” he murmured, grinning at the rumble of laughter he felt in Louis' chest.

“I know you would have. I'm very glad he managed to deter you. I don't think I could ever look at you the same after having you urinate on my foot.” the older boy smirked, leaning back against other until he shuffled back and he could have his head on his lap. Pulling the goggles from the top of soaked honey brown hair, Harry tossed them away towards a pile of rope nearby then sent his own pair the same direction. He looked around for their snorkels to add to the collection and winced.

“I think I left the snorkels in the water.” he confessed, biting the corner of his bottom lip. They'd rented them from the tour group and now would have nothing to return.

“Replaceable.” Louis shrugged, draping an arm over his eyes to block out the sun. “I lost the camera though.” he sighed, lips turning down into a frown. Harry whined and battered his head against the wall behind their bench.

“Aww, there was good photos on there too. That sucks.” he pouted, giving the hair he had wrapped around his fingers a gentle tug. “But you're okay and I'm more concerned about that anyway.” he continued, moving his hand from hair to the one covering Louis' eyes and laced their fingers together.

“Maybe it'll wash ashore and we'll find it when we come back in twenty years with a pack of our grandkids.” Louis offered, grinning at when he heard Harry's barking laugh. He didn't need to open his eyes to know that his boyfriend was now beet red with his hand clapped over his mouth, looking around wide eyed to see if anyone had heard him. Harry had a lot of laughs but the bark was Louis' favourite. It always came when he found something unexpectedly funny, catching him off guard. It was when he was the most himself.

“Like that idea there Haz?” Louis teased, pulling their hands away to tilt his head back to peer up at beauty mark peppered skin and dancing green eyes. 

“Shut up.” Harry countered, sticking his tongue out as he dropped his hand away, cheeks still touched with red at his embarrassment. “I was appalled at the revelation that you believe we'll be grandparents before I'm 40.” he sniffed, nose in the air as he spoke with a proper upper class London accent. Louis snorted and swatted at him for it.

“Fine, 30 years. I don't know if they memory card is going to last that long floating around in the Pacific Ocean.” Louis sighed dramatically, making Harry laugh again though not the bark, more of a giggle that would make his nose scrunch up and smile with all his teeth.

“And it would survive 20 years?” he asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

“Yup. 20 years to the day then boom. Rust. Disintegration. Done. Gone.” Louis replied firmly and pushed himself up on to his elbows when the boat began to slow down, a solid bump rocking the entire vessel. “We back already?” he asked, turning his head towards Harry who had stood up when he shifted away, now leaning against the seaside wall of the boat. 

“Yup, we're here. Come on, up on my back.” he returned and crouched down so Louis could climb on. There was no argument about it, the older boy gingerly settling on to his boyfriend's back, arms wrapping tight around his neck. 

“Careful of my foot ya? It's frigging sore even with the scientifically engineered piss water .” he murmured, pushing away the dark curls that tickled his nose, the strands frizzy and rough from being saturated in salt water and drying in the hot breeze.

“Always. You got a good hold?” Harry slowly stood, wrapping his arms behind him to support Louis' backside since he couldn't cling particularly well with his legs under the circumstances.

“I'm good. Onward horse!” Louis squeezed Harry's middle with his knees and let out a loud laugh at the horse sound he attempted, tightening his hold around his neck when the teenager took off at a gallop along the ship's deck and down the ramp to the nurse waiting for them on the dock.

 

After having a brief look, the nurse led the pair back to the hotel, raising an eyebrow when Harry insisting on keeping Louis on his back despite that she had brought a wheelchair out with her. She let them do as they wished however, so long as the one with the injured foot wasn't walking on it until she had a proper look. The walk over the beach and into a crisply painted white and blue room near to the kitchens was pleasant, the nurse asking in her accented english how they'd been enjoying themselves before the little incident and they assured her it was lovely like the polite young men they'd been raised to be. Once in the room, Louis was dropped on the bed and Harry immediately glued himself to his side again, taking up one hand between both of his. The nurse looked them over and smiled as he brought a tray with bandages and creams covering it.

“You have a very caring boyfriend.” she told Louis, smile widening when they both flushed a little bit and shared their own small smiles. 

“Ya, he's pretty great.” the older boy replied, dropping his gaze from Harry's eyes down to his lap but the smile remained on his lips, rubbing his free hand over the top of the other's. Shaking her head at the boys who reminded her of a pair of kittens in love, she went about her work, putting the healing ointment over the bright red mark where the tentacle had brushed golden skin, tsking when she came across the sea urchin scar on the underside of his foot.

“No luck in the ocean hmm?” she asked, both boys looking up from their intertwined fingers.

“Hmm? Oh...” Louis blinked in momentary confusion and looked down to his foot, nodding with a shrug. “Sea urchin in Spain. Definitely bad luck.” he replied, biting down on his lower lip when the nurse tested how swollen his foot had gotten by pressing gently on the topside.

“Tsk tsk. Wear shoes in the water. It will be better for you.” she suggested, Harry snickering at the look of horror that crossed Louis' face at the proposal.

“He kinda hates shoes.” he told her, grinning as she shook her head and muttered about boys being boys and began wrapping up his foot in bright white bandages.

“No complaints about the ocean harming you then. Now, stay off this for a few hours. Have boyfriend carry you, I'm sure he won't mind.” she winked as she stood and removed the tray, going to the small sink to wash her hands. “I'll give you something for the swelling too. Might make you sleepy though.” she offered over a small batch of pills in an orange container. “One every four or five hours. Don't take if you don't need though.” 

“Thank you. That cream is doing good, the sting in barely there.” Louis replied as Harry lifted him up bridal style, making the older boy blush crimson and punch him in the shoulder. “Seriously? Put me on your back again!” he protested but Harry shook his head.

“Nope, this is fine. It's only an elevator ride and a few steps anyway.” he gave the nurse a wink and a flash of the mega watt smile before heading out the door, Louis resigned to being carried as if he was part of a fairytale and flopped back like a corpse though with red cheeks and a smile he was trying to bite back. The nurse waved them off, laughing softly to herself.

“Be good boys.” she told them and set about tidying the room for her next splinter or twisted ankle.

 

Back in their room, relaxing on the couch with cups of tea and a pizza they'd ordered from the kitchen between them, Harry sipped at his drink and Louis munched drowsily on his lunch, the medication for the swelling already making him sleepy. 

“You know, I like not having to deny your my boyfriend. Just casual like it's nothing particularly interesting or scandalous. Just like I'd say Eleanor's my girlfriend except better because it's true.” he mused around a particularly big bite, a piece of cheese sticking to the corner of his lip. Harry looked up and smiled at him.

“It's nice isn't it?” he asked, putting his tea down so he could brush the crumb from the other's face.

“You've done it?” Louis replied, sitting up with wide eyes that were suddenly very alert and awake. Harry nodded, biting his cheek with a sheepish expression on his face.

“Sometimes I don't deny it to fans. They're so giggly and hyper and they'll ask and I’ll just nod. They scream about it but most don't take it seriously. But I like admitting it anyway.” he confessed, squeaking when Louis gave him a playful swat. The curly haired boy shrugged with red cheeks. “I can't help it. I just want someone to know that we're together.” Louis' expression softened as he reached out to stroke his fingers along his boyfriend's blush gently.

“One day we'll be able to say it to whoever we want you know.” he murmured, lips curling up into a small smile when Harry turned his head to look at him.

“I know. And you better still be my boyfriend when we can.” he replied, brushing lips against the fingers that had moved with his face when he looked up. What else was there to do with soft pads pressed lightly against his lips.

“Same to you.” Louis agreed and neither of their eyes were sad when they said it. They were shining with hope.


	7. Chapter 7

“Well this was a peaceful kind of day.” Louis sighed, digging his toes into the warm sand as he stretched his arms far above his head, soft cotton tshirt hiking up to bare a strip of skin. Harry glanced up from the towel he was arranging on the ground, raising one eyebrow questioningly.

“I'm glad you think so. How's your foot?” he asked with a smirk, nodding to the other's bandaged appendage. Louis looked down and shrugged, lifting his foot to pick the sand out of the wrapping then hopped on to the dry spot Harry had made them, crossing his legs and patting his lap. He got a snort for his effort, the other boy going about finishing the set up for their sunset picnic.

“Meh, it's alright. Still glad it wasn't a sea urchin this time.” Louis replied, leaning back on his hands to absorb the last of the sinking sun's rays, eyes slipping closed in bliss. The warmth of the air was like heaven. Harry shook his head and collapsed down behind him, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's chest and resting his chin on his shoulder.

“Because a jelly fish is so much better. You're not allowed into the ocean anymore unless you have shoes on, just like the nurse said. Better yet, whelly boots.” he murmured in his ear, giggling at the whine of complaint buzzing in Louis' throat.

“Nooooo. I hate shoes. Let my feet be free.” the older boy pouted, shaking his head and giving his shoulder a purposeful jerk to bump the other's chin, secretly hoping he'd bite his tongue. No such luck, Harry decided to give him a nip to the shoulder instead then sat back, legs outstretched along either side of Louis' crossed pair. 

“Stop walking on sea creatures that are made to sting then.” he countered, fingers burying into the sand to clutch at the gritty warmth like a child with a new tactile experience, idly recalling that this was the perfect point between soupy and dry that made the best sand castles. 

“Oh it was just a little one. There won't even be a mark by tomorrow.” Louis defended himself, glancing over his bitten shoulder to see what had taken Harry's warm hold away from his now cool back. “And, it could have been the shark that beached itself an hour later. At least we weren't in the water for that.” he continued, stretching back as far as he could to catch Harry's hand with his own. He wasn't long enough to manage and knocked them both over with a grunt.

“Very thankful for that. I wouldn't want to be the one explaining to Paul why I was coming back without you.” Harry grumbled, pushing Louis' elbow from his stomach, oofing when his full weight fell against him instead. Grinning, Louis struggled to get himself rolled over so they were pressed chest to chest, nose to nose, half on the towel and half in the sand. Harry looked up at him and returned the grin, brushing the honey brown fringe from his eyes.

“See? A perfectly peaceful day minus a jelly sting and a shark encounter from a hundred yards away.” Louis winked and scooted down a few inches to rest his head on Harry's chest, watching a crab scuttle by them a few feet away with part of a smaller creature clasped in its pincher. 

“You're definition of peaceful is very, very strange mate.” Harry replied, dusting his hands off above his head before folding one arm beneath his head and stroking the other hand over Louis' hair, rough from the sand and surf of their vacation. The touch earned him a satisfied sigh but Louis didn't remain cuddled down against his chest long, sitting up and moving back to sit fully on the towel again, looking out to the water with its navy blue waves and orange streaks dancing across the surface from the setting sun.

“We're international pop stars. Any day that doesn't have me running for my life or signing autographs until my hand cramps up is a peaceful day.” he murmured, rubbing his wrist at the thought. Harry sat up behind him again and shifted so they sat side by side, thighs pressed together.

“Hmm, maybe you have a point there. Pineapple?” reaching into the picnic basket, he pulled out the plate of fruit wedges they'd bought, pulling back the cling wrap covering and offering it to the suddenly contemplative Louis. Selecting a piece, the older boy nibbled on it thoughtfully as he looked out over the ocean, watching the sun sink behind the waves quietly. Both sat in the silence, conscious of it being companionable rather than stemming from annoyance or another fight. Smiling softly at the realization, Louis lent his head against Harry's shoulder and silently fed him the fat purple grapes from the platter, his smile growing wider when his fingertips got a lick of thanks. Once the grapes were finished, they both began to feed each other, snorting giggles at their matching orange peel smiles and Harry's bark of a laugh echoing through the twilight when Louis ended up with a mouthful of lemon instead.

“You alright there Lou?” he managed through his amusement, offering over a bottle of water so Louis would stop wiping his tongue off on the collar of his shirt. Blue eyes cut him a dirty look as their owner took a mouthful to swish and spit with.

“You put it in there on purpose.” Louis accused, tossing the lemon peel out towards the water where a pair of gulls argued over it. Harry winked and shrugged, pulling a small lantern out of his pack now that the sun was gone and with it most of the light from the sky.

“Maybe.” he shrugged and said no more, instead turning the light on, bathing them both in a soft orange glow that mimicked a campfire. Louis pouted at him, just making Harry smile wider as he leant in to kiss his nose. “It was a good prank and you know it. Consider it pay back for two years of torment.” he added, giggling at the way Louis rolled his eyes and gave him a shove.

“Tosser. Anything else in there that I should be wary of?” Louis asked, eyeing the basket suspiciously now that he'd had a taste of his own medicine.

“Nope. Just a blanket in case it gets chilly and more snacks. Want some marshmallows?” Harry replied, pulling out a baggie of the squishy treats.

“Nah, can't roast them over that lantern you brought. Save them for the bonfire there's supposed to be tomorrow night.” Louis shook his head and shifted to lean against the other again. “The blanket would be nice though. The sun took all of the heat with it.” he added, rubbing hands over his thighs where goosebumps were beginning to prickle up. Harry nodded and dragged out the fuzzy blue monstrosity that he'd borrowed from the front desk, flicking it out then over them like a cape to wrap around both sets of shoulders. It provided instant warmth and both boys snuggled together to enjoy it. 

“That's better.” Louis murmured, holding his edge of the material balled in his fingers. Harry hummed in agreement, pulling the blanket around his knees as well to be completely wrapped up. They sat in comfortable silence again, leaning against each other as the last of the pinks and oranges faded from the sky, dark blue replacing it then deepest black. Without the light pollution of a big city, the stars came out quickly and shone bright enough to be reflected off the water, constellations in the dozens displayed in full. Tilting his head back to admire the pinpoints of light, Harry began humming a Coldplay song, fingers gently trailing along the fabric of Louis' shorts as he softly sang the lyrics.

“Look at the stars...see how they shine for you...” he continued as he smiled down at Louis nuzzling into his sides, feeling him smile against his skin. He sang the song through a few times until he heard a soft snore and blinked, tipping his head and bit back a laugh. Louis had fallen asleep against him. Shaking his head, he wrapped the blanket a little tighter around the sleeping boy and tried to pack up the best he could while he was being used as a pillow. He got as much done as he could before he had to give Louis a gentle nudge, waking him up with soft words in his ear.

“Lou? You fell asleep. Wake up for a minute and we'll go to bed.” he murmured, shifting away when Louis whined and tried to cuddle deeper into him. “Come on love, you can do it. I'll even carry you.” he coaxed, slipping away and easing him to the ground to to doze on the beach towel. Louis was having none of that and looked up with a pout, puppy eyes in effect.

“It's just passed sunset. Sit back down and let me cuddle you.” he insisted, patting the sand beside him with a pleading look for Harry who was stuffing everything he couldn't reach before into his bag.

“We can do that up in our room. Come on, your pills are making you all dopey again.” Harry replied and yanked the blanket away, feeling band when his boyfriend shivered and curled up on himself. He squatted down and offered a hand. “We can watch the sunset channel until 3 am if you really want.” he suggested, getting a snort of laughter and a gritty hand wrapping around his.

“You know just how to convince me.” Louis sat up and bunched up the towel against his chest, using Harry's support to get to his foot. “I don't need.....carried though.” he broke off for a wide yawn and scrubbed the heal of his palm across his cheek. Harry shouldered the bag then wrapped his free arm beneath Louis' shoulders to help him hobble along.

“If you change your mind....” he offered as they headed back towards the warm orange light of the hotel entrance.

 

Deciding to forgo the eternal sunset, the boys tumbled into bed instead and finished off the remainder of the snacks that Harry had packed for them, leaving crumbs all over the top of the duvet. Once they'd devoured it all, they crawled under the blanket and pulled it over their heads, burrowing down into the cozy darkness. Awake now from the sugar, Louis was as full of laughter and flirtatious touches as Harry was, the both of them sharing tour stories back and forth despite both of them being there for the first hand experience.

“Remember the first time Niall met Justin Bieber and we had to take him to the bathroom so he could cry over it?” Harry whispered conspiratorially in Louis' ear, quickly turning his head to giggle wildly into his hand. The blue eyed boy nodded excitedly in agreement, head butting the other's shoulder as he added to the story.

“Do you remember the 3 am phone call when he realized Justin started following him on twitter?”

“How could I not? He was louder than the ring of the phone. I could hear him through the walls as well as the phone and he was two rooms away that night!” Harry snorted, giving Louis a playful shove for the head butt then having to grab at him so he didn't roll off the bed. 

“Why are you so close to the edge??” he laughed, hauling him back in closer than he had been earlier.

“Just so you'd knock me off then feel bad so you'd fuss over me again like you were today.” Louis replied with a grin, shifting closer still to nudge the tip of his nose against Harry's. 

“You didn't mind all my fussing? It was probably too much....but I was worried about you.” the curly-haired boy murmured back, rubbing their noses together for an eskimo kiss, lifting a hand to gently stroke Louis' fringe back from his forehead.

“Mm-mm. It reminded me just how much you love me.” Louis replied, grateful for the darkness below the sheets so that his boyfriend couldn't see the redness creep up his cheeks. Harry didn't say anything in return, he just smiled and pulled Louis in for a tight hug, sighing softly when the older boy snuggled against his chest, tucking his head beneath his chin where he belonged. They stayed like that for a long time, long enough for both to be half convinced the other had fallen asleep until Louis broke the silence with an uncharacteristically soft voice.

“I still love you you know.” he whispered, lips brushing the smooth skin that covered Harry's collarbone.

“I know.” his boyfriend replied, tilting his head down to press a kiss to the top of his head. The silenced stretched long again, sleep taking one of the boys for real this time, the other fading quickly himself, fingers slowly stroking across sun kissed skin. Yawning once, he nuzzled into his lover once more before murmuring soft words as he slipped under the sandman's spell.

“I always love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to drop a hint....the rating of this fic will be jumping upwards in the next chapter ;)


	8. Chapter 8

The world outside the boys' cozy room was cloudy and wet, a tropical rain shower creeping it's way along the peninsula, soaking everything and everyone who had ventured outside. Neither Harry nor Louis noticed however, both still buried under covers and wrapped up in each other, catching up on the sleep that they often missed out on when jet setting around the world. It was close to noon when Harry finally shoved the blankets off his head and looked around groggily, disoriented from waking up at the foot of the bed instead of at the pillows. Blinking away sleep with a jaw creaking yawn, he put his head back down on the mattress and contented himself with playing with Louis' hair, twirling strands around his fingers then smoothing them down again. There hadn't been any product applied to it in three days now but it was still rough from the elements. The way it caught and stuck to his sun dried skin making him smile contently to himself. He was the only person on the planet who was allowed to touch Louis' hair when when it was styled to perfection, every hair in it's proper place, sticking up at the correct angle or swooping over just so. He could go and make a complete mess of it and not catch shit. The only person who could. It always gave him butterflies in his stomach when he considered how special that made him to the some what vain boy and now the thought made him smile like sunshine, knowing it was still his privilege, that they were going to okay after this weekend. They hadn't talked anything out yet or figured out why they'd fell in love as Liam had assigned them, or why they'd been falling apart, but falling asleep curled up like a pair of kittens was more than they'd shared in weeks. 

It all made him feel more than a little giddy and he titled his head down to pepper the top of Louis' head with kisses, wincing sheepishly when his boyfriend groaned and stretched, hands skimming up chest to bury fingers into chocolate curls and giving them a tug. 

“Why are you waking me up?” Louis asked, voice husky from sleep at he tipped his head back to squint up at the other, the crust of sleep still stuck to his eyelashes. Harry gave him an apologetic smile and ran his thumb along the line of dark lashes.

“Just feeling a little giddy from being in love with you.” he replied, giggling when Louis smiled and pulled him down by his hair.

“That's an acceptable reason.” he decided, brushing their lips together for a good morning kiss, closed mouth and soft but still enough to make them both hum in contentment. 

“You taste like the ocean.” Harry murmured as the lingering kiss ended, tongue flicking out over his bottom lip to taste more of the salt. Louis chuckled sleepily and buried his face into the crook of his boyfriend's shoulder, nuzzling at him.

“My skin feels like the beach. I'm going to take over the bathroom when I find the motivation to get out of bed.” he yawned, trying to fit himself into Harry's skin along with him, nails digging ever so slightly into the flesh of his lover's shoulders. He had very little desire to get up, wrapped up in the warmth that felt like home. A home that he'd been away from for far too long. He sighed contently and let his eyes close again. 

“I could help you out with that. The showering I mean. I suppose the motivation too but I'm rather happy to be here right now.” Harry replied, twining their legs together, toes brushing against their unused pillows. 

“You're most welcome to join me.” Louis agreed, shifting his weight so Harry was on his back and he could crawl on top of him, laying his head down on his chest, listening to the soothing thud of his heartbeat beneath his ear. Fingers idly tracing over the heart tattoo on Harry's bicep, he waited for a reply that didn't come. He tilted his head up to look at his lover's face, trying to read him. All he saw was a gentle smile as he gazed up at the ceiling. It was a look that should have made Louis' heart skip a beat but with eyes focused up at the stucco, it actually made it stutter a bit, an unwanted memory of two nights before coming back to him. Scooting upwards, he rested his head next to the nest of curly, dark hair and murmured into his ear.

“You said the other night that you've been keeping track of how long we hadn't had sex in?” it was phrased like a question though he didn't know if he wanted the answer. He was rather hoping he'd dreamed it up and Harry hadn't been living his life lately with calender boxes of celibacy ticked off in his head.

“Ya, I did.” Harry smashed his hopes with that and the blue eyed boy winced a little, chewing at his lip as he pursued the discussion.

“How long have you been keeping track?” he asked, fingers wandering over the plains of Harry's chest idly, his head getting jostled on its resting spot when the younger boy shrugged.

“I’ve been keeping count since it stopped being everyday. Since it stopped being a quicky in the shower, followed by a manhandling in the front hallway before going out to greet fans. Since it stopped being a make-out backstage then a good intense fuck once we were alone again. I've been counting for awhile.” he replied, soft and slow, reliving the days when that was their sex life in his mind's eye. Louis took a moment to consider it, biting the inside of his cheek.

“Oh....I hadn't really noticed...” he lied quietly. He may not have been counting the days but he had noticed that their affection had become less fiery in the past few months. Less passion, more complacent. He'd blamed it on the exhaustion of touring and having to keep their relationship under wraps but he was sure they still got off together everyday. Or perhaps daydreams and intentions without the follow through were clouding his mind. They lay in thoughtful silence for a few moments after that, the sleepy giddiness of minutes prior fading away in the wake of deep thoughts. Eventually Harry broke the silence with a heavy sigh, fingers curling tightly in Louis' hair as he spoke

“You know...sometimes people just grow apart. There's no fight, no big blow out, just complacency until the quirks that used to be cute are annoying and there's nothing left to talk about.” he murmured, the fingertips of his free hand coasting softly up and down his boyfriend's forearm until Louis snatched at them, lacing them together with his own and holding him tight.

“Your quirks are adorable. Absolutely 100% adorable.” he stated quickly, turning his head to press kisses to the back of Harry's hand. The younger boy chuckled softly, loosing his grip on Louis' hair and stroked his fingers upwards, making it stick up in fluffy little clumps.

“I've been dumped a couple times for them.” he admitted with a shrug, tipping his head curiously as Louis struggled to sit up with their hands still held together tightly.

“I have no intentions of breaking up with you. I don't want to grow apart from you Hazza. You're the single most important thing in my life, to hell with everything else.” he insisted, pushing chocolate curls from his lover's forehead then pressing a kiss there. The confession made Harry's heart skip a beat, a pink flush spreading across his cheeks.

“Let's take Li's advice then. Let's figure out why we fell in love in the first place.” he murmured, tipping his head back so their lips would brush together. Louis hummed his consent, hand cupping Harry's cheek.

“Fortunately for us, we have a giant database at our disposal.” he murmured as he relished the feel his lover's lips on his, the way his soft laugh caressed him with warm breath, the pull of sun chapped skin against his own. Harry always forgot to take care of his mouth; opening things with his teeth, chewing on flaking skin, purposely picking at cold sores. Funny for a man who made his career from what came out between those perfectly shaped red lips. When that bubble gum pink tongue brushed his though, every other thought in his head disappeared, only shared kisses on his mind now.

 

The database would have to wait, the admission of not wanting to grow apart or break up seemingly all they needed to remember how things had not been before, when a kiss wasn't awkward or hand holding didn't seem like a chore. Mouths moulding together perfectly, fingers brushing over to skin to rediscover sweet spots and using them to their advantage, legs coiling around waist to keep hips tight together. Their kisses went on and on until Louis had to break away to breathe, nuzzling at Harry's cheek as he felt the shirt he'd slept in being pulled up to be removed and tossed away. He untangled his hands from the other's to let it go, sitting up fully and tossing his hair out of his eyes. The younger boy gazed up at him, eyes hazy and half lidded as he ran his hands over his lover's soft tummy then slotted his fingers between his ribs. 

“You aright baby?” Louis asked softly, leaning down again to brush mouths together, catching Harry's tongue between his lips and sucking lightly. Humming and nodding, Harry slipped his hands around Louis' sides to the back of his shoulders and tugged him down again, relishing his weight against him for a few extra moments before rolling them and planting his elbows on either side of his lover's head, tilting his head so he could kiss him deeper and firmer. Louis arched beneath him but didn't flip them again which had, somewhere deep in the back of his mind, Harry cheering as it was a rarity for him not to be on his back. The only thing on his back the moment was his shirt and that was being taken care of, Louis' blunt nails raking up along his sides, pulling at the fabric when it bunched up at his armpits. A quick movement and it was dropped off the bed, forgotten before it hit the floor.

Shorts went next, hands yanking, hips shimming, legs kicking, anything to get them off and out of the way until everything was skin to skin, hands to hands, mouth to mouth. The grind of their hips made Louis shudder and break away again, panting hard against Harry's flushed throat, lips and teeth marking him with a string of bright red spots that wouldn't be fading any time soon. Harry's own mouth had found the sweet spot behind Louis' ear, purring against the spot as he flicked his tongue over it, voice husky as he spoke.

“Hey Lou....can I this time?” he murmured, scrapping his teeth over the place he'd been licking and grinning at the moan he was rewarded with.

“Ya. Definitely.” Louis replied, a catch in his voice when his lover continued to focus his attention on that one tiny patch of skin that was making the room spin. He found he couldn't use his own mouth in retaliation any longer, or for anything that wasn't whimpers and mewls of pleasure. All he could do was hang on with his nails leaving half moon indents in the backs of the other's shoulders. Harry stayed where he was until he was sure Louis was dizzy from pleasure, the soft, desperate sounds he had been making melting into a steady high pitched whine and a wet stickiness smeared between their stomachs. Only then did Harry pull away with a look of proud accomplishment and shift a bare few inches so he could reach over the side of the bed to find the bag with the lube and condoms their friends had sent them with. Sitting up fully, he rearranged their legs, pulling Louis' legs over his thighs and tugged him close by his hips. One finger, two fingers, three fingers, all slick with KY he stretched his lover open, mouths sharing slow, wet kisses through the process that had the older boy winding his hips down over long fingers, soft gasps passing between lips when Harry hit just the right spot inside him. Balancing himself on his elbow, Harry stroked his free hand through Louis' hair, pushing back short strands from his sweaty forehead.

“You okay? Think you're ready?” he asked against the corner of his boyfriend's mouth, licking his way in again so that the only response Louis could give was a positive hum and a nod of his head, one arm winding around broad shoulders and the other around his waist, clinging tightly to him. It didn't give Harry much room to move but he managed, slipping his fingers out and spreading the lube left on them over his length with a few pumps. Biting down lightly on Louis' lower lip as he guided himself in, letting Louis control how deep he went with his legs around his hips. The older boy wanted him deep, ankles crossed against the tops of his thighs and tugging him inward. Their hands found each other and fingers laced together, foreheads pressed together so they were gazing at each other. Light flushes coloured their cheeks when they first made eye contact, shy smiles tugging at their lips whenever they weren't sealed together, bodies moving in sync with each other, a slow, steady rhythm that made sweat bloom on their backs and hearts thud in their chests. 

Slow and steady couldn't last. Harry's hips began to move more frantically as the coils of heat curled tighter low in his belly, pulling away from kisses that had become desperately hungry to bury his face against Louis' throat, letting go of small hands to drag his own down his lover's sides, grabbing his waist and gripping tight, leaving two sets of four round bruises on his back. Louis left him with matching marks, four bright red marks scratched down either flank along with a bruising bite at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. That was enough for Harry, hips stuttering as he came hard inside his lover with a groan against his golden skin. Louis whimpered as he was filled, eyes rolling back and long lashes fluttering down over his cheeks as he reached down to stroke himself. His hand wrapped around the head of his cock at the same time Harry grasped the base and they worked together to bring him to a howling orgasm, Harry's hips still thrusting shallowly into him as he painted both their stomachs with cum. 

Laying in a tangled heap, Louis was the first to catch his breath, reaching up with a shaky hand to run his fingers through dark, sweaty curls.  
“So....shall we take that shower now?” he asked, voice a touch breathless, grinning at the giggles pressed against his chest.  
“Might be a nice idea.” Harry replied through his giggles but he didn't bother to shift, too content with where he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize now for the wait on this chapter. I know it wasn't _that_ long but it felt like it for me. I'd been wrestling with this chapter for weeks now. I have a nice pile of PWP's now though of discarded sex scenes. Maybe one day I'll clean them up and post them as one shots.
> 
> As an aside...if you're reading and you notice and spelling error or a grammatical error please let me know. I was re-reading the other day to make sure the flow was still working and I caught a horribly embarrassing their/there/they're mistake. I have no beta reader (everyone likes my original stuff, no one wants my fanfic....) so I do this solo and miss mistakes. Let me know if you see them!!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter ^_^


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! YAY! Many thanks to my beta Lottie for having a go through this and giving me some ideas. You're a doll!

It was decided that the bed was too distracting, so the boys sat facing each other on the carpet space between the couch and the television, knees touching and hands in their laps, the remains of the lunch they'd called up for sitting on the counter in the kitchenette.

“Right, which discussion first? Why we've been falling apart or why we love each other?” Louis asked, trying to be serious but a smirk kept tugging at his lips whenever he caught sight of one of the many tiny purple bruises he'd left across Harry's collarbone.

“Falling apart. There could be bruised egos by the end of it that need soothed with love stories.” Harry replied, blushing as he watched Louis' eyes wander across his skin, tugging the low collar of his thin t-shirt up a little bit. Wandering eyes jerked up when Harry's words registered, lower lip getting sucked in between teeth.

“Has it been bad enough that there's potential for bruised egos? Baby, what have I been missing?” Louis blurted, eyes wide as Harry smiled sadly at him, reaching his large hands out to curl around his boyfriend's smaller pair.

“Kinda hard to believe that our friends have noticed but you haven't.” He sighed, running his thumb along the back of Louis' hand, absently wondering what it was that tipped their bandmates off that things weren't the way they used to be. Maybe he would ask when they got back. Louis bit his lip, watching emotions dance across his boyfriend's face. He turned his hands over so their fingers could comfortably lace together  
.  
“I've just....I just figured we were getting complacent. That we've been together so long that maybe we were bored but I've been too tired with touring and promo to do much about it. I figured we'd get a break one day and get back what we always were. I didn't think it was anything big...” He replied, blue searching green for a reaction before words were said.

“Maybe I'm just too sensitive but it's been more for me. Ya, we're tired, ya we've been around the world twice over in less than two years, living in each others' pockets the entire time but I don't think that's...I don't know how to say it. The issue maybe? I don't know....maybe it is because you're always tired and stressed out with all the extra pressure you have on you with the Eleanor thing and having management constantly breathing down your neck about everything but you seem to get mad at me so easily. Or annoyed. I know I can be annoying, I know I’m needy when it comes to you, I know I'm possessive as hell but that's just who I am.” Harry explained, lifting one set of their hands to his cheek to nuzzle against them as he spoke, trying to avoid Louis' eyes but it wasn't easy when the other kept tipping his head, trying to catch them.

“You're not annoying....” Louis began, eyebrows drawing down when Harry interrupted him.  
“But I'm needy and possessive.” the younger boy offered, wincing at the look he got and began to pull his hands away. “See? Annoying.” 

“ **Not** annoying. Needy and possessive; yes. Always wanting my attention; yes. Hurt by the lies we have to live and acting out against them the best you can; definitely yes. But I'm the same on all counts.” Continuing from where he'd been interrupted, Louis wouldn't let Harry pull his hands back and slipped his fingers up to curl around his tattooed wrist instead, pulling hands up to his lips to kiss the back of them. Harry smiled slightly, turning his hand easily in Louis' hold to gently stroke his fingers against cheeks that were rough with three days worth of stubble. The older boy smiled and nuzzled into his hand then continued on. “I am stressed out though. I never thought being a pop star would be anything like this. I'm sorry I take it out on you, I'm sorry I'm conscious of the fact that I do it too. You're just the one I'm most comfortable with...the one I'm most myself with. It's not right but I always figured you could take it because you love me.” He lost his smile and looked down at his lap, ashamed of himself. Harry frowned at the expression and slid his hand from his lover's face down his side to wrap around his waist and hauled him on to his lap, nuzzling at his chest. Flushing pink, Louis rearranged his legs so he was sitting comfortably in Harry's lap, hands between them, fingers fiddling with the material of his own t-shirt. Harry still had a tight grip on his other hand and didn't seem to want to let go of it any time soon.

“You're right. I love you. I love you more than anything and I don't mind hearing you rant and rave about all the stress you have, all the things that make you angry, but I just hate it when you take it out on me with no explanation. That's what makes me think I'm annoying you, that I'm a bother and you're just waiting for an opportunity to dump me where I won't make a scene.” Harry replied, forehead pressed against Louis' clavicle as he spoke, his own hand moving back to hold on to his lover's hip, thumb rubbing along the v hidden beneath his shirt.

“I'm sorry....” Louis murmured, resting his cheek a top the mass of curls his boyfriend was loved the world over for, taking a deep breath to inhale the scent that was simply Harry. “I'm sorry Hazza, I really am. I don't mean to make you feel like that because you're none of that.” Harry nodded then attempted to lighten the mood a little bit, hoping he was as good at it as Louis usually was.

“Even when we're a hundred feet in the air and I'm terrified we're going to drop out of the sky while strapped into fancy deckchairs?” He asked, looking up with a half smile. He got a snort for that, honey brown strands falling across Louis' eyes as he shook his head.

“I just want to share everything that makes me happy with you, because you make me happier than anything else.” He explained, lips curling upwards at the corners as Harry gave him one of those smiles that lit up the world. A shiver that he couldn't help raced up his spine. He loved when that smile was for him and no one else.

“I'm perfectly happy watching you enjoy your adrenaline junky thrill rides. Please though, leave me on the ground for them.” Harry pleaded, his grin growing wider when he seen Louis begin to smile. He craned his neck back to brush their lips together. 

“Fine, fine. I'll just have to share my joy with Liam then.” Louis grumbled playfully, nibbling at Harry's lips but not letting the kiss become to involved. Not yet. There were still things to discuss; like falling in love. 

“Just like how I drag Niall or Nick to concerts with me because you'll do nothing but bitch about my love for hipster garbage.” Harry teased, flicking his tongue over Louis' upper lip then pulled away to kiss under his jaw instead.

“I just don't understand how you can love music that you can't move to. It takes the fun out of it.” Louis sighed and shook his head, shifting back and taking Harry's face between his hands, squishing his cheeks together. Lips pushed out in a ridiculous expression, Harry could only shrug and crinkle his nose as his boyfriend laughed at him. He put his hands to fine boned wrists again and pulled them away so he could speak. 

“So are we okay now?” he asked, head tilting curiously to read Louis' expression. “We talk about what's getting under our skin instead of being grumpy and blowing up for no reason?” Louis nodded and brushed his fingers over Harry's nose with a fond smile. 

“All I’ll probably say most days is management or Eleanor.” He admitted and Harry sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Ugh, two giant pains in our sides right there. You've got another vacation next weekend don't you?” He muttered, dropping his hands to wrap them around Louis' middle in a possessive hug. His Boobear.

“Argh. Shit. I forgot about that. I wonder what the hell they'll make me do this time.” Louis groaned, giving a tight hug of his own back before wiggling out of Harry's grip to find his phone and check for messages. Harry watched him search the room, a frown pulling down the corners of his generous mouth. He'd gotten over being jealous or threatened by Eleanor herself long ago but the entire situation still upset him, still made him worry about his boyfriend and the act he had to put on. It made him sad that Louis took all of it on himself, willing to do just about anything so that Harry didn't have to do the same thing. Watching Louis wander back towards him, squinting at his email to check for updates from head office, Harry crawled up on to the couch and tugged his boyfriend back on to his lap, hugging him tightly again.

“Thank you for doing all this so I don't have to.” He murmured against his t-shirt, nuzzling against the space between his shoulder blades.

“Any time babe. You know I'll do anything to keep you safe.” Louis replied, pulling one of Harry's hand from his chest to kiss the back of it, then lacing their fingers together as he scrolled through the message. “Looks like I'm off to Disneyland for a couple days. What do you want as a souvenir?” He sighed, turning off his phone and chucked it back over to the bed.

“I wanted to go to Disneyland on our off days.” Harry huffed against his back, loosening his hold when Louis started wiggling around. When he let go, Louis shifted to rest his back against the arm of the couch and drew Harry against his chest, stroking his hair soothingly. “I was going to get us matching mouse ears with Hazza and Lou embroidered on them.” He continued to grumble, getting a small laugh out of his boyfriend.

“That's what I'll get us then. The one with a bow for you.” Louis teased, Harry giving him a jab in the side with his fist for it.

“Only if you get the matching shoes too.” The younger boy looked up with narrowed eyes, making Louis smile wider and lean down to press a kiss to his nose.

“Got it. Now. Love stories?” He replied, raising an eyebrow with a wink that made Harry laugh and nod his head.

“Definitely love stories.” He agreed, pulling at Louis' hips until they were both laying down over the couch cushions, using each others' arms as pillows.

“Are we going to the harlequin style love stories or the ones that are better suited for the mature section of our fanfiction tags?” The older boy asked, tangling their limbs together, nose to nose and fingers stroking hair from eyes.

“Our assignment was about falling in love in the first place so that goes back to X-Factor and there wasn't much NC-17 going on then.” Harry murmured after a few moments of becoming reacquainted with the fine lines around Louis' eyes, the ones that deepened whenever he smiled. Louis nodded, distracted himself by the sprinkling of freckles that the sun had brought out across the bridge of Harry's nose.

“Harlequin then.” He mumbled, leaning in to kiss a few of the sun spots and getting pushed away by the forehead when he tried to go for lips.

“Focus Louis. What made you fall for me?” Harry giggled, turning his head to bury his face against Louis' bicep when his boyfriend refused to give up his quest to taste his skin, planting ticklish kisses all over his throat and shoulder where his t-shirt had been pulled away. 

“I could tell you a hundred different reasons why I love you. I can even pin point the exact second in time that I fell in love but honestly, I couldn't tell you what it was that made me fall.” Louis explained between kisses, snickering when he gave Harry a playful bite and the younger boy squealed, kicking at his shins. 

“Tell me about that then! Come on, I want to hear your version of our romantic tale.” Harry laughed, shuffling downwards and pressed his face into Louis' stomach, hunching up his shoulders so his boyfriend's lips couldn't attack him anymore. He got attacked with tickles instead, quick fingers dancing up and down his ribs, making him howl.

“What's so romantic about about getting piss on me? Nothing! Just staring at me with green saucers for eyes and pink lips in a perfect 'oh', that impossibly deep voice murmuring 'oops' as if that would fix anything.” Louis was laughing just as hard, snorting when Harry rolled right off the couch in the midst of a wild giggle fit, holding his stomach as tears streamed down his cheeks. 

“You fell in love with me in the bathroom??” He gasped, lifting a hand to wipe at his eyes. Louis nodded, reaching down from the couch to brush hair away from his eyes.

“Mmhmm. And in the stairwell while everyone sang together. And when I watched your pathetic ass try to dance. All through boot camp I fell over and over.” He sighed, his own laughter calming down as Harry's giggles slowly subsided as well, the occasion little fit bubbling up from his throat. 

“Right from day one then?” He asked, looking up at the couch, biting on the corner of his lip as he studied the others' face.

“Day one. I was going to ask for your number if I didn't get through. Little did I know hmm?” Louis replied, fingers continuing to stroke through the curls that fell over Harry's forehead, blue eyes loosing focus as he became entranced with the simple movement.

“What if I didn't get through?” Harry questioned, eyebrows drawing down as he tilted his head back to feel fingertips against his forehead.

“You were getting through. I knew you were. If Simon and Nicole hadn't had their idea then some other lad was getting sent home because you were going through.” Louis' fingers wandered across Harry's features instead as he answered, gently skimming eyelashes and twisting into the deep dimple of his right cheek. “What about you then? When did you fall in love?” He asked as he stroked over his plump lower lip, mimicking the movement Harry made, his tongue darting out to wet his lip rather than his finger however.

“I don't remember exactly when really. It all went from school boy crush to head over heels so fast. You were this beautiful older boy who was showering me in attention and affection constantly and I just ate it all up. I never wanted to be away from you. Then X-factor ended and we were apart for the first time in months and all I could think about was how much I missed you, even if we were going to be living in each others' pockets again within a few weeks. By the time we went on our ski trip I was definitely in love though.” Harry replied, soft and slow with multiple pauses when he turned his head to press kisses against the fingers tracing his skin. Louis nodded along, leaning off the couch to press their lips together as his hand cupped the others' cheek. 

“And what about why?” He murmured quietly, running the tip of his tongue along the inside of Harry's lower lip.

“Because you became my everything.” The reply was barely a whisper as his hand curled around the back of his boyfriend's neck and held him close as the kiss deepened and nothing more was said. Nothing more was needed to be said. And Harry didn't think he'd bother asking the others what tipped them off anymore.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another chapter. 2 more left I think. Maybe 3.
> 
> thank you again to Lottie for beta-ing and her brilliant ideas. You're really helping me bring this story to life.

Basking in the afterglow of a second love making session, Harry stretched out across the bed and rolled to his side, facing the window and pulled Louis' arm over his chest to keep him warm. Smiling lazily, he watched birds fly outside against a brilliant sky with the sun beginning to sink, the weather conditions taking a few minutes to register in his bliss addled mind. Once they sunk in, his eyes widened and he popped out of bed. He pulled back the edge of the curtain to peek outside, surprised at the sudden change. Louis grunted as his lover disappeared and flopped over on to his stomach, head turned so he could stare out the window as well. The blue sky and fluffy clouds didn't hold his attention long, especially not with long limbs, pale skin and firm muscles standing in the way. He hummed appreciatively and reached off the end of the bed, fishing around for the phone he'd pushed off the bed after he'd pushed Harry on to it. Coming up with it and its hot pink case, he snapped a picture of Harry's bare arse and sent it off to Zayn with a quick message of 'admiring the view'. 

“You have a nice backside you know. Be better if you tattooed my name over a cheek though.” He mused, grinning when Harry turned around with a slight flush on his face. 

“Only if you do the same with yours.” He countered and returned to the bed, crawling over the expanse of the bed's large mattress to curl up against Louis, rubbing their noses together gently. The older boy threw his arm around the other's shoulders and pulled him close, their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. 

“It'll be my first tattoo.” He agreed, shifting another fraction of an inch closer when Harry's leg slung over his hip. Harry nodded in approval, face buried in against the side of Louis' throat as he savoured the snuggle. There wasn't much time for this while on the road, even on their least hectic days. Quiet moments passed, the boys breathing in each other's air and relaxing in the peace that making up, making out and making love provided until Harry's soft murmur broke it.

“You still haven't told me why you fell in love with me.” He stated softly, giving Louis a nudge with his nose.

“Because you're cute.” The other replied sleepily, eyes closed as he happily dozed away his afternoon wrapped up in his boyfriend.

“That's one reason. You said there was a hundred.” Harry prodded, fingers stroking up and down the prominent tendons on the inside of Louis' forearm.

“And because the way you couldn't, and still can't, dance was endearing. And how you welcomed four complete strangers into your home for two weeks without a second thought. We could have been axe murders you know, just waiting for the right moment to pounce.” Still refusing to open his eyes, Louis' voice lost its grogginess as he spoke, shifting his arm to catch Harry's wandering fingers with his own.

“Zayn? An axe murder? You really think so? Maybe Hyena Horan or Mr. Serious Wannabe Popstar back then, but never that scared little baby possum.” Harry snorted a laugh and pulled their hands to his lips for a quick kiss then sat up again, stretching a kink out of his back before guiding Louis' head on to his lap. That made the older boy chuckle, shaking his head with a smile pulling at his lips.

“It's always the sweet, quiet ones you know.” He reminded, rubbing knuckles under his eyes as he opened them, forcing away the lazy sleepiness. 

“He's had plenty of opportunity and still hasn't done it so I think we're safe. Now. Another reason.” Harry grinned when Louis' eyebrows immediately furrowed, giving him an inquisitive look.

“Another? You're not going to make me honestly list a hundred reasons are you?” Louis asked, groaning when Harry nodded with a wide grin. He shook his head and sat up, stretching out his spine himself, flashing his middle finger when he caught his boyfriend giving him an appreciative once over.  
“Like what you see?” He teased, snickering when Harry casually shrugged his shoulders.

“It's alright. Now. Reasons. I don't need the full hundred. Just a few more to sate my curiosity and to save my ass when Liam drills us once we're back in One Direction land. So please?” He fluttered hopeful eyes and rested his elbows on his knees, hands on his fists to give Louis his full attention. Louis couldn't help the smile that spread across his face or the words that began tumbling from his lips, wanting to give more and more reasons the longer he watched the silent reactions dance over Harry's face.

“I love you because you're beautiful. I love you because your kisses always taste sweet even first thing in the morning. I love you because you've managed to hold on to childish wonder whenever you go somewhere new. I love you because you're always up to try new things and meet new people. I love you because you always try to make a positive impact on those new people you meet, even if you only know them for a couple seconds. I love you because you can keep up with me and my never ending energy. I love you because you can seem so innocent and sweet and you are, and yet at the same time you can be absolutely filthy minded. I love you because you didn't even flinch when I told you I was gay, that it wasn't just a playful bromance developing, that I honestly really liked you. I love you because at just sixteen you were man enough to lean over, kiss me on the nose and tell me you didn't know what you were but that you really liked me too. I love you because you kept on liking me, and loving me, even when management found out and said no way; that this relationship was not happening. I love you because you refuse to give up on us even when everything else in the world is against us. I love you because you're Harry Styles and almost the entire world is in love with you and they're crazy if they're not. Most of all, though, I love you because you're my Hazza. The rest of the world sees a handsome popstar with full lips and a gorgeous voice but I still see that messy haired kid who was so excited to see me after a week apart that he kissed me in front of the X-Factor cameras and our reunion had to be reshot.” Nearly out of air when he finished, Louis barely had time to take that much needed breath before Harry tackled him on to his back with a firm kiss, hands behind his head so he couldn't move away even an inch. There wasn't much he could do but chuckle at the enthusiasm and kiss back, sucking at the tip of Harry's tongue when he demanded entrance. 

 

They rolled around the bed kissing and groping until Louis was convinced he would black out from lack of air and put his hand to Harry's forehead, pushing him away so he could suck oxygen into his burning lungs.

“So....good reasons?” he panted, amusement bubbling in his chest watching Harry's puckered lips still trying to press against his.

“Perfect reasons. More kisses.” the younger boy demanded, making his boyfriend laugh and turn his head at the same time he removed his hand from his forehead, leaving Harry to face plant in against his neck. That seemed to appease him anyway, lips trailing along warm skin. 

“Another reason I love you? Once you get going you truly are insatiable.” Louis teased, breath hitching when Harry's teeth grazed a spot an inch or so behind his ear. 

“Gotta make up for lost time somehow.” Harry purred back, nipping at the spot sharply and grinning wickedly to himself at the shudder that went through the other's body because of it. Despite the reflex reaction to abuse at one of his most sensitive shiver spots, Louis frowned at Harry's statement. He curled his fingers into dark curls and pulled their owner up to be face to face with him, nuzzling against his cheek as he relaxed his hand, stroking through the chocolate halo instead.

“I'm sorry there's been lost time...” he sighed, eyes closing as he felt Harry's eyelashes fluttering against his own, a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips.

“Was the two of us you know. I could have just said 'why haven't you fucked me in a week' instead of feeling sorry for myself. We both wasted time sulking and sleeping but it's okay. We're conscious of it now. We know how to fix things if we start down that path again.” Harry murmured softly against the corner of Louis' smiling lips, fingers cupping the cut of his lover's jaw. Louis nodded and turned his head the fraction of an inch he needed to press their lips together in an adoring kiss.

“There's reason 101; you've got all the wisdom of an old man in the body of a young man and the mind of a toddler.” he chuckled, grinning at Harry's protest at his toddler mindset. Louis laughed, reminding him of the reaction the younger boy had whenever he came across a cat and untangled himself, looking out to the deep orange sky. “We've been in here all day. Want to go out to the bonfire?” he asked, tilting his head to study the dark head now on his lap. Harry tipped his head back to look up at his boyfriend, eyebrows furrowing.

“Really? You don't want to stay in and fuck me senseless?” He asked, reaching up to run his fingers over the pink mark behind Louis' ear. He hadn't been able to make enough of a mark; it would fade away before night's end.

“We've got the rest of our lives and the rest of the night to do that. How many massive bonfires will we get to enjoy in our lives?” Louis replied, turning his head to nip at the other's hand. Harry hummed as he thought the proposition over, watching his boyfriend suckle at the tip of the finger he'd caught between his lips.

“Ya, you make a good argument. Too bad about needing clothes.” He agreed and sat up as well, pulling his finger from pink lips as he stretched out his tense back. Going out and walking around would probably do his sex sore body a world of good. Louis snorted and carefully pushed him away to crawl off the bed and stand.

“You'll be naked again soon enough. Come on, let's go burn our fingerprints off with flaming marshmallows.” He teased and searched out something to wear, tossing a hoodie over top a tshirt and shorts.

“Your foot is okay to walk on? You haven't exactly been standing all day?” Harry smirked as he watched him dress before getting up himself, sweeping Louis in for a brief but deep kiss, leaving his boyfriend stumbling over his words as he tried to answer.

“Uh...walk? Huh? Ya....ya! I'll be fine. Doesn't even hurt any more. You can carry me if it starts anyway.” he managed, starring as Harry shimmied into his own clothes. Once dressed and then nearly undressed again twice over between a flurry of kisses, they headed out into the hallway with a bag of marshmallows in Harry's hand. His free hand wasn't so free however, fingers curled with Louis' and swinging between them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! We're in the home stretch now. Next chapter is the last. Thank you ever so much for reading.
> 
> I haven't heard from my beta Lottie for a little while...I hope she's well...but she is definitely to be thanked for ideas in this chapter from her previous read throughs. So no beta this chapter except a quick read through by a non 1D fan friend. I'm sorry Millie!!!
> 
> And so I give you chapter 11

The merry jingle of Louis' text alert interrupted the story he was regaling his boyfriend with, making them both pause in the middle of the hotel hallway so he could pull his phone out. Taping in the pass code with his free hand, he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he searched out the message waiting for him.

“Another message from management?” Harry asked, tilting his head to have a peak at what Louis was looking for.

“Nope. A message from Zayn.” The other replied, a wicked grin spreading across his lips. “He likes your ass by the way.” 

“My ass?” Harry blinked and tugged the phone away, holding it over his head when Louis tried to snatch it back. “You sent him a picture of my bare arse! When the hell did you take this?” he laughed, putting his free hand on his boyfriend's forehead to hold him down. Sometimes there were great benefits to being the taller, lankier one. 

“Earlier when you got up to admire the view. I had some spectacular scenery myself.” Louis was laughing too, stretching up to get his fingers around Harry's wrist to try and pull his arm down so he could get his phone back. Chuckling at his lover's attempts, the younger boy leant in to press a kiss against the his lips instead, grinning at the purr that rumbled against his chest from him. He brought his arm down, slipping the phone into the back pocket of Louis' shorts along with his hand, pulling him in tight. Standing in a public hallway, allowed to kiss without concern for prying eyes or snapping cameras made them both a little giddy. Louis' hands curled around the strings of Harry's hoodie to bring him down closer to his height though he leaned up on his toes to meet him half way, the grin on his face making their teeth click together clumsily. 

 

“Harry?!” a shrill voice echoed off the walls and they both froze, eyes snapping open and colour draining from their sun kissed cheeks. 

“Don't move...we're just look-a-likes.” Louis hissed, moving his hand up from draw string to cup Harry's cheek to try and hide some of his features. The same voice shrieked the name again and a blonde woman in impossibly high heels streaked right by them, giving them a slight shove in fact as she rounded on a boy of no more than six who had a towel in hand and a sheepish look on his face.

“I told you to wait for me! You can't go to the water slides alone!” she scolded the child and hauled him back the way she came with a tight grip on his elbow, muttering an apology as she passed the couple who were still standing stock still. It wasn't until the pair were gone that either pop star moved; Louis dropping off his toes and pressing his forehead against Harry's chest; Harry finally remember how to breathe again.

“I thought that was it. I thought we were caught.” he panted, eyes wide and fixed on the wall opposite him, his arms moving to hug his boyfriend tightly below his shoulders.

“Fuck that was scary...” Louis agreed, equally breathless and stunned. He lifted his head and lifted a hand to tuck a few curls behind Harry's ear. “You okay? You look pale.” he murmured, concern lacing his voice. Harry nodded, nuzzling into the hand that still rested on his cheek.

“I'm okay....heart's still going a mile a minute though. Damn Lou, I am not ready to be out, not to the whole world. Not getting caught out like that.” he replied softly, taking his eyes from the wall to look down into his boyfriend's bright blue pair. Louis gave him a gentle smile and pulled him down for a brief, sweet kiss before answering in an equally soft voice.

“We're safe here remember? Paul said so. He wouldn't have sent us here if we weren't safe. No one's even looked twice at us the whole time. When we do come out to the world though, it'll be on our grounds. No one is going to out us. If all that media training we've been put through has been good for something, it's that we know how to keep this relationship to ourselves. A little hint here and there keeps the fans guessing, speculating. No one is going to be that surprised when we tell the world how much we love each other. They'll just feel rather stupid for not catching us before hand.” he assured him, his smile spreading wider as Harry's lips curled up at the corners.

“Bloody paps are never going to catch us.” he agreed and pressed a kiss to Louis' nose. “To the bonfire then? Where little Harry hopefully won't be and my heart rate doesn't rocket sky high every time his mum screeches at him.”

“Not until we want them to. Let's go.” Louis nodded and snuck one more kiss in before untangling himself from Harry's hold and lead him along down the hall until they were out in the courtyard, following the sounds of happy, elite tourists enjoying the most primitive of gatherings; an oversized campfire. 

 

Around the bonfire was warm enough that hoodies were removed and folded up to sit on, making sitting on a rough, old log much more comfortable. The boys sat as close as they could, legs intertwined with each other as they roasted marshmallows on a pair of long sticks though they shared more of the sticky treats with those around them than they ate themselves. Harry wasn't as good at successfully pulling the cooked 'mallows off whole, his fingers quickly becoming a sticky mess.

“You're a mess baby.” Louis teased, pushing a melted glob of sugar into Harry's mouth. He got his own treat by trying to lick his boyfriend's fingers clean but it would up more of something he had to nibble off, the younger boy trying to stifle giggles at the ticklish sensation.

“They keep falling apart on me. I must be grabbing them wrong.” Harry replied around the mass in his mouth. He licked his lips after he swallowed, finding another patch of the white goo. “I hope I don't get it in my hair. I don't fancy trying to get that out.” he muttered, shaking a curl out of his eye.

“It could be that opportunity to shave your head that you've always wanted.” Louis suggested, , scraping his bottom teeth over the pad of Harry's middle finger. 

“Pretty sure I'd be hung, drawn and quartered so don't even think about it.” the younger gave his boyfriend a warning look. Louis knew better than to mess with his hair though. Apart from the one time when he'd attempted to give him highlights with a box of hi-lighters. The curls had been too dark for the pinks, greens and oranges to show up however. It had worked much better on Niall's blonde head.

“I wouldn't dream of putting marshmallows in your hair tonight! I have to share your bed after all and I don't want to think about the type of bugs that would bring.” Louis looked aghast at the thought, putting a hand dramatically over his heart. Harry snickered, shaking his head before resting it on the other's shoulder.  
“Good to know where your priorities lay.” he murmured, smiling softly as the other's arm shifted and wrapped around his middle, pulling him closer for a cuddle before the dancing flames. Louis chuckled and said nothing in response. Instead he tossed their sticks into the fire and gave the left over marshmallows to a pair of girls a bit older than them but sitting just as closely together. 

 

They watched the fire burn, half hypnotized by the dancing flames, snuggled up together despite the heat and trading soft words back and forth. Most of the people around the fire seemed to have settled into the same mind set, the loud conversations that had surrounded them when they first arrived had died off to murmurs and the occasional quiet giggle. The fire hadn't quieted any however, flames crackling and devouring anything that was tossed into its middle, sparks jumping into the after floating ash. The movement of the flames caused shadows to dance over faces, obscuring features and creating new ones. Harry sighed contently and let his eyes drift closed, the fire still orange and warm on the inside of his eyelids.

“This reminds me of when we all first met. Still in the backyard of Robin's place, singing nonsense and wondering if someone was lost in the fields or if it was just a cow.” he murmured, fingers drawing idly patterns on Louis' kneecap just because he could.

“A cow with a dead-on man impression I still say.” Louis replied slowly, eyes wide and slightly glazed over from staring at the flames so long but completely unable to pull them away. Harry chuckled and shifted to draw his knees up to his chest, his back pressed against Louis' side.

“Those two weeks were so much fun. All of us getting to know each other, feeling out personalities and horsing around. I never realized how much I'd missed out on not having a brother until then. Gems is obviously the greatest and all but getting three brothers and a boyfriend has been the best part of the entire experience.” he sighed, pulling Louis' arm over his shoulder to cuddle in close to him, wrapping both his hands around his boyfriend's, making the smaller extremity disappear beneath his paws.

“Must agree with you there.” Louis hummed and shook himself out of his daze, rubbing his free hand over his eyes to erase the anti-image that the fire had left him with. “But don't tell the boys that the boyfriend bit is my absolute favourite part.” he added, whispering conspiratorially in against Harry's curls. The younger boy giggled against the arm draped across his chest, giving warm skin a gentle nip.

“Your secret is safe with me. Promise.” he whispered back with a smile. Louis thanked him for the promise and pressed a kiss to the top of his head then they both fell back into comfortable silence, watching the fire and the crowd slowly disappear. After the better part of a half hour they were among the last half dozen left around the bonfire, the blaze itself finally dying out with nothing being thrown into it any more. A few hotel employees brought up buckets for sand and water from the beach and tossed them over the burning remains, plunging the area into darkness. Blinking at the sudden change in light Harry uncurled himself from Louis' side and stretched.

“That's that I suppose. Shall we go back to the room? We still haven't made use of that pool yet.” he asked, tugging on his hoodie once his back was good and straightened out again. Slipping into his own sweater, Louis looked out towards the beach thoughtfully.

“Let's take the long way back and walk along the beach. We missed out on star gazing thanks to my lazy ass last night.” he suggested, standing up and glancing around to make sure they hadn't dropped anything. With everything appearing to be in order, he hooked their arms together and nodded out towards the beach.

“Right then, a romantic moonlight beach walk.” Harry agreed and lead them out towards the roar of the waves and the uneven surface of the sand.

“Romantic until I toss you in for a swim.” Louis cackled and bumped his hip against Harry's as they walked, causing him to stumble and flail. What Louis had neglected to remember was that he was holding on to his boyfriend's arm and they both wound up tumbling down into the sand in a pile.

“Louis!!” Harry barked and tried to swat at him despite the awkward, twisted position they had gotten themselves into. Louis ducked under the swing and dragged his lower half out from under his boyfriend by hauling himself along on his elbows. 

“Didn't do it on purpose!” he crowed back, laughing and trying to kick off the hand that wrapped itself around his ankle. “How are we supposed to get up if your holding on to me?!” he demanded between giggles. Harry smirked and tugged him back closer so he could dig his fingers into the back of Louis' knee.

“We're not getting up.” he replied, his wicked smile unclear in the darkness but it was obvious in his voice. The quiet of the night was greatly disturbed by Louis' laughter and curses directed towards his boyfriend as danced his long fingers over one of his most ticklish spots. 

“Harry Styles get off me oh my god stop stop stop!!” he howled, still trying to kick himself free and crawl away. Only when Harry decided his boyfriend was good and breathless did stop and stand up, dusting off the sand from his clothes. 

“That'll teach you to trip me up when we're trying to have a nice walk.” he smirked, crossing his arms over his chest and refusing to help the still giggling Louis up. Not that he was trying to get up just yet, his arms still folded over his stomach as he tried to catch his breath.

“I've learnt, I've learnt. I promise. No more tripping you into the dirt when I can't make a clean get away.” he wheezed, sitting up and wiping the cuff of his sweater across his eyes, being cautious for sand. 

“Good. Come on then, let's see some stars.” only when he was sure he wasn't going to be tugged down into a pile again did Harry help his boyfriend up, happy to help him dust off his backside. Louis snickered at the flirtatious move and wiggled back into the large hand then glanced behind himself to see if they had lost anything in their roll about the beach. Sure enough they had dropped something this time; his phone sat innocently squashed into the sand. He moved away to scoop it up, stuffing it into the front pocket of his hoodie. 

“A few too many incriminating photos on there to leave it laying about.” he murmured, grinning at Harry's snort.

“Just a few.” he agreed and wound their hands together to get back to their walk along the beach under the moonlight. “Still disappointed that we lost the other camera in the water yesterday. There were good photos on there.” he added with a sigh, kicking at a seashell with the toe of his sneaker. Louis hummed in agreement as he watched the shell bounce across the sand towards the water, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and starlight now. 

“Hopefully if it's ever found, no one recognizes us.” he murmured, curling himself under Harry's arm and sliding his hand across the small of his back.

“Don't think it's anything too incriminating. Lots of fish and pictures from the boat. Just typical vacation photos of a pair of mates out having a good time.' Harry answered, kissing Louis' hair as they strolled along. The older boy hummed his agreement and nothing more was said about it. Instead they took a slow, meandering walk back to the hotel, pointing out constellations to each other and making up their own when neither recognized the patch of sky they were looking at.


	12. Chapter 12

An hour before their alarm was set to go off, Louis was woken by his bladder demanding he get up and do the needful. Groaning softly, he tried to ignore it, burying in closer to Harry's side but every movement made him have to go that much more so he gave in and crawled out of the bed, shoving his pillow in against his boyfriend so his disappearance wasn't be noticed too greatly. Waiting to see if Harry woke up, Louis dashed off full speed to the toilet after he was sure the other was still asleep. After relieving himself, he decided that there wasn't much point going back to bed for an hour, especially now that he'd just washed his hands and that had a tendency to keep him awake, the cold water livening up the blood in his veins. He took his phone to the bed instead and settled himself down next to Harry again. He tossed away the pillow and drew his head on to his lap, patting curls to soothe his boyfriend back into unconsciousness when he grumbled and shifted. Staring in awe at just how beautiful the other was when he slept, he turned his phone to silent and snapped a few pictures to preserve the moment. Their water proof camera may have disappeared but they still had their para-sailing video to share with their friends when they got back to them as well as a few other photos snapped with their phones. These pictures though, they'd be for just the pair of them. 

Studying the image on his phone, Louis' stomach twisted at the thought of how close he'd come to loosing his Hazza. He still didn't understand how he could have missed so many of the signs that Harry, as well as their band mates, had noticed. He knew what to watch for now though, to make sure it wouldn't happen again. He promised himself he'd stay on top of the state of their relationship for now on. He may be a world famous pop star with fans and endorsements aplenty but he hadn't been lying when he said that getting a boyfriend was his favourite part of One Direction. Meeting Harry and falling in love with him was the something he wasn't expecting on his audition day but it definitely was the best thing to ever happen to him in his entire life. He loved when fans talked about them being soul mates or fate's favourite project because he agreed with it a hundred percent. He had been a big believer in fate before he even thought about auditioning for X-Factor but his belief was solidified when he stood on that stage and was told he'd be moved on to the judges house if he joined a group with that big eyed boy he'd been drooling over since they'd bumped into each other in the bathrooms. And here, now, he had him. Had him all to himself even, except now it was Harry doing the drooling.

Pulling a face of disgust, Louis moved Harry's head off his lap and wiped himself off with the corner of the blanket. He loved the younger boy's quirks but the mouth breathing and drooling when he got a little stuffed up from his allergies was not particularly cute. The air conditioner must have been blowing around pollen that didn't agree with Harry's constitution so Louis got up off the bed to turn it off. They were leaving in a few hours and the mornings hadn't been overly hot so far anyway. Up again with a rumbling stomach, he searched out the room service menu to order them a breakfast platter that would be ready and delivered to their room within a half hour. There was a lot of things he could do in a half hour but with a boyfriend as beautiful in his sleep and as prone to morning wood as his was, well there was only one thing he really wanted to do. 

Tugging the sheets out from the bottom of the bed, Louis slipped beneath them and crawled up the mattress sneakily, carefully rolling Harry from his side to his back with a gentle hand, pausing to listen for any signs of him waking up. It wouldn't be a very nice surprise if he was awake for the entire thing after all. Certain he was still asleep, Louis directed his attention to the half mast erection that his boyfriend sported, grinning wickedly to himself as he rubbed his hands together to warm them up. A chilly palm against a warm cock was not a pleasant way to wake up as he had experienced once when Harry had attempted to give him a good morning hand job when they were in Sweden. Hands warm, he pressed the pad of his thumb over the thick vein that ran along the underside of the other's cock, grin getting wider at the soft moan he heard above his head and the way Harry's hips rolled up into his touch. Alternating running thumb along the vein and wrapping his whole hand around the length to slowly stroke him to full hardness, Louis flicked his tongue over the little pearls of precum until he was satisfied with his lover's erection. Only then did he take him properly into his mouth until the tip hit the back of his throat and he had to force himself not to gag. He didn't have the lack of a gag reflex his boyfriend seemed to be gifted with but he could repress it at least. Especially when it came to choking himself on the other thing that nature had gifted his boyfriend with. Propping himself up on his elbows he bobbed his head up and down, hollowing out his cheeks to make it extra tight on occasion and rolling his tongue just beneath the head on others, humming happily whenever he heard a moan or a whine break the soft snores from above the sheets. About to go down the full length again after devoting much of his attention to the head for several moments, Louis was pulled back up again by a hand clutching a fistful of his hair.

“What are you doing?” Harry slurred, eyes barely cracked open but a bright flush across his cheeks and lips parted for panting breaths. Louis grinned at him, licking his lips as he pushed the sheets entirely off his head then put his hand to cock, stroking it with languid flicks of his wrist. 

“Giving you the wake up call you deserve rather than a blaring alarm.” he replied with a wink, tilting his head down to flick tongue over slit. It was as close as he could get with Harry still holding him up by his hair. The curly haired boy laughed and let go of the strands he was clutching, petting abused scalp apologetically. 

“Get back to it the--ooh.” he cut off with a moan as Louis went back to his work, burying his nose in the other set of curls that Harry was blessed with. Now that his boyfriend was awake he didn't hold back with a slow, deliberate pace. He got filthy with wandering hands fondling balls, rolling them against his palm and squeezing with practised control. Not too tight, not too gentle, just right to make Harry gasp and beat his head against the pillows. Now that he was awake and Louis had turned his mouth into a vacuum it didn't take long until Harry was a whimpering mess, smacking his hand against his boyfriend's forehead to warn him that he was going to cum. Louis just pulled back a bit and rolled his tongue around the head until he was rewarded, swallowing hungrily then crawling up Harry's long torso to kiss him good morning.

“Good morning baby.” he purred with a chuckle, tugging at Harry's lower lip with his teeth as the other tried to catch his breath, eyes glazed over.

“Morning...” Harry managed, trying to blink away the fuzzy haze his head felt full of. Still chuckling softly, mostly to himself, Louis sat back and pushed a chunk of curls from green eyes.

“Go have a shower. Food's going to be here soon and then we gotta go.” he instructed and pressed a kiss to the side of Harry's neck then got up off the bed to find some clothes to answer the door in when room service arrived.

“Don't want to come with me?” Harry asked, swinging his legs off the bed and stretching his back out with a contented groan as his bones creaked and cracked. 

“Someone's gotta be able to answer the door.” Louis answered, wandering around the room collecting their belongings to shove back into their bags. Harry smirked and got off the bed, snagging his boyfriend's wrist and pulling him towards himself.

“Then we can just leave the bathroom door open hmm?” he suggested and Louis mimicked his smirk.

“I dare you to answer the door naked.” he challenged, wiggling out of the track pants he'd only just put on. Harry shrugged, letting go of his wrist and helped yank his shirt off as well, running thumbs over his tummy. 

“Might as well. Not like it's the first time.” he agreed and pulled his boyfriend towards the bathroom, tossing the shirt towards the nearest back pack on the way. Louis skipped over a pair of sneakers as they stepped through the door, making sure to leave it wide open. Fortunately the bathroom was located next to the entrance into the room and even over the water they should be able to hear a good firm knock. 

“No sex until the food gets here. I don't fancy being in balls deep when you have to go answer the door.” Louis warned as he cranked on the water, purposefully leaning forward so his backside pressed against Harry's thighs as his boyfriend's large hands roamed over his his torso. “Are you pressing your body up against my naked arse?” he teased, giving a wiggle to make the other moan.

“It's kinda my right you know.” Harry teased right back and gave that world-over-worshipped arse a smack. “Get in the shower before I'm the one in balls deep.” he ordered. Louis snorted at the attempt at dominance as he pulled back the shower curtain and stepped in, shivering for a moment and turning the hot water up higher. The temperature increased immediately much to his delight and he moved under the spray to soak his hair, strands plastering to his forehead. Harry followed him in and grabbed the shampoo bottle, squeezing out the remains into his palm as he watched his boyfriend get all wet. When he started groping around with eyes closed for the shampoo, Harry held his hand under his and grinned at the look that crossed over Louis' face when his fingers dipped into the gooey pile in his palm.

“Please tell me that's shampoo...” he muttered, cracking one eye open, water droplets falling from his eyelashes. 

“Nope. I blew my nose without you hearing.” Harry replied and lifted his hands to the other's hair, lathering it up full of bubbles and spiked up hair. They bantered back and forth between creating more and more extreme hairstyles and kisses until Louis was pressed up against the cold tiles with his hands on Harry's chest and neither of them cared about the state of their hair anymore. Tongues sliding together and hips pressed tight, Louis' thumbs rubbed over the extra set of nipples on his boyfriend's chest, delighting in the moans that elicited and the shiver that made Harry's whole body twitched. He loved that the second smaller set were that much more sensitive than the other pair. He could feel just how much the other liked the touch pressing against his hip. He would have liked to tease him about it a bit but he also quite liked that thing Harry was doing with his tongue at the moment so teasing would have to wait. Wait until there was a good, firm knock at the door that is. And there it was. Harry pulled away with a groan and Louis smirked at him, head resting back against the tiles panting softly to get his breath back.

“Away you go then. Answer the door.” he teased, reaching down to run his fingers along the half hard length pressing against him. Harry looked down, cheeks flushing and he reached for the towel rack beyond the shower curtain.

“I can't go out naked like this.” he muttered, green eyes looking hopeful that Louis would take back the dare but no such luck. 

“A dares a dare and you agreed to it. No backing out Styles.” Louis shook his head, glancing towards the open door when another knock thudded outside. Harry huffed a sigh and stepped out, leaving his towel behind. Louis giggled gleefully and poked his head out of the curtain, hoping to see the reaction though his view of the main door was blocked by a short space of wall.

“Can you just leave it out there? I'll get it in a minute.” Harry called through the door as he peaked through the eye hole.

“No can do sir. Wouldn't want the birds to get at it.” a male voice replied and Harry huffed. He had liked the open air architecture of the hotel up until this moment. Casting a glare into the bathroom, he turned back and opened up the door for their breakfast. Louis beamed right back at him then ducked back under the water to wash out the shampoo, straining to hear more of what was being said out in the room. Apparently the hotel employee was used to naked patrons because there wasn't even a yelp of surprise or a clattering dish. Apparently he was okay enough with it that Harry could strike up a conversation despite being dripping wet and half hard. Grinning to himself, Louis decided that fulfilling the dare so well deserved a reward and peaked out the curtain again to the vanity counter. He could have swore there was lube left there from the day before but there was none in sight. He didn't want to leave the bathroom; two naked men might be too much and it would ruin his surprise as well. Ducking back into the tub, he looked around for a reasonable substitute and spotted the conditioner bottle. Not the best choice but without lube it was the next best thing. Besides, with all the water from the shower and the shampoo from their hair they were both going to be wet and slippy anyway. Squeezing the pink cream over his fingers, he reached behind himself and pressed a finger in, biting down on his lip to keep back a moan and not ruin his surprise. Harry was going to love this.


	13. Chapter 13

“Thanks a lot mate. What's your name again? I'll leave your tip down at the front desk when we're leaving.” Harry had cheated and covered himself up with a hand as he chatted over the giant breakfast Louis had ordered them. They'd be too full to move after this. They'd have to roll down to the check out desk later. After getting the name of the man, he waved him off and returned to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him this time. Now, back to his boyfriend and the wet kisses he had left behind. He pulled the curtain back to get in again but paused with one foot resting on the rim of the tub, his cock going from half mast to full sail at the sight before him. Louis was still leaning against the wall where he'd left him but his pupils were blown, bottom lip between his teeth and a hand behind his back, legs spread wider than normal. “You've got your fingers up your ass don't you?” he asked, swallowing thickly.

“Mmhmm. Want to add something of yours?” Louis replied with a nod, lifting any eyebrow. With Harry now knowing what he was up to he pressed two fingers in deeper and didn't bother to bite back the moan. “I just can't reach where you can....” he added, glancing down at the other's groin then back up to his face. That was enough to snap Harry out of staring and he clamoured back under the spray, fingers curling around Louis' hips. 

“Gimme the lube then.” he requested, sliding one hand down the outside of the other's thigh to his knee to draw it up against his hip. Louis smirked and twisted to pick up the conditioner bottle. The movement made his eyelashes flutter and his cock twitch. He'd hit a good spot.

“Couldn't find the lube but this'll work. Fuck that felt good. Don't let me slip.” he murmured, balancing himself in the rather awkward position and fingered himself faster, panting each time he hit the sweet spot inside him. Harry held his arm, the small hotel sized bottle in his palm, and watched with wide eyes as Louis drove himself to whimpers of pleasure. It was a hot beyond reason and he had to stop him least they both make a mess of themselves. A gentle hand on Louis' wrist to guide him out and another touch to his waist to straighten him up. 

“Not thinking about getting off without me?” he asked, soft teasing in his voice as he spread what remained of the conditioner over his cock then dropped the bottle to the tile bottom of the tub. Louis gave him one of those smiles that crinkled the corners of his eyes as he wrapped his leg around Harry's waist and tugged him closer.

“Not anymore no.” he replied, pressing a kiss to the other's lips when he barked a laugh. He loved that stupid, loud laugh. He tried to tell him that as he was pressing into him but it came out garbled in a groan and a bite to Harry's shoulder.

“That made absolute sense.” Harry muttered, grabbing under his thigh to hold him in place. Louis bit down again to shut him up and arched off the cold tiles, the movement letting him sink further over the other's cock. Harry took the hint to shut up and drew himself out almost completely before slamming in again, free arm braced against the wall next to Louis' head. Gasping as Harry hit that spot he'd just been probing himself in one thrust, Louis curled his hands around the other's biceps and clung on tight, each thrust after the first knocking him against the walls with a force that was going to leave his shoulders bruised.

“How are you so good at this?” he groaned, breath already coming quickly as he rocked his hips in time with his lover's.

“We've been doing this for over two years. I'm fairly sure I've figured you out.” Harry replied, a fond smile curling up the corners of his lips. “Enough talking. Kiss me.” he ordered, causing Louis to laugh at him and his attempt at dominance yet again but he complied, hands moving from arms to bury in his soaked curls and pulled him in. Harry may have been setting the pace of their hips but he was going to be in charge of their mouths. 

Between wet, demanding kisses and hurried pumping hips, that tight ball of heat signalling impending orgasm didn't waste any time in developing low in the boys' bellies, frantic little whines escaping into the other's mouths whenever lips broke apart. Feeling the cock pressed between them twitching against his stomach, Harry slid his hand off Louis' thigh and wrapped it around his length instead, stroking firmly upwards then running his thumb across the slit in the head in a rhythm to match what he was doing with his hips; push in, wind, pull out then do it all over again. Double the stimulation made Louis break the kiss and bury his face in against Harry's throat, hands tugging at the fistfuls of curls he had a grip on before letting go and trailing nails down the other's spine to leave him with bright red marks. 

“I'm gonna...I'm gonna...” he tried to give a warning but jolts of pleasure up his spine kept making him loose his words. Harry got the idea though and flicked his tongue over the sensitive spot just behind his ear, knowing how fast that would do him in. And he was right; sticky, white cum stripping both their abdomens, Louis shuddering and gasping against his lover's chest. It only took a few more thrusts for Harry to follow suit, the added tightness of Louis' passage being all he needed. 

Not enjoying the idea of slipping and breaking something due to the state of their spent bodies, the boys sank down into a pile of shaking limbs and exhausted hips to the floor of the tub, breathing in each other's panted exhales, Louis still impaled on Harry's softening cock. Neither could manage much in the way of words so they sat beneath the spray of the shower head, leaning against each other until Harry reached for a bar of soap and lathered it up in his hands. He ran the suds over his lover's body gently, kissing the spots he could reach with said lover on his lap, before cleaning it away with a swipe of bubbles. Watching the administrations through dazed eyes, Louis eventually picked up the task, running his hands around strong shoulders and down firm chest muscles reverently. He sat up on his knees to allow Harry to slip out of him, stroking his hand along the length to clean it as well and chuckling softly at the moan that fell passed his lover's lips and the flush that coloured his cheeks. 

“Insatiable.” he teased, nuzzling at the side of Harry's throat before soaping that up too. 

“Says the man who I woke up to with his lips around my cock then his fingers up his ass when we were trying to have a shower.” Harry snorted and raised his hands to the spray, letting the water clean them off. Louis laughed and shook his head, unable to argue that. He stood up slowly, using Harry's shoulder for balance and moved himself under the spray to rinse off all the soap bubbles and cum. Harry remained sitting, gazing up at the other with adoring eyes and wandering hands coasting up and down toned legs. 

“I'll go finish packing then we can eat our breakfast, which had probably gone cold by now.” he stated and stood, giving himself a quick rise. “Since you'll probably need a bit longer to clean off.” he added and winked, hoping out of the tub when Louis swatted at him. 

“We've gotta start wearing condoms again. I hate leaking like this.” the older boy muttered as he remained under the water with his arms crossed over his chest and cum leaking down his legs. Harry laughed as he wrapped a towel around his waist and ran another through his hair then went out to the room to do as he'd said he would.

Harry's method of packing their things was much more organized than Louis'. The bags wouldn't be jabbing at them awkwardly with his way, nor would they look like they were trying to smuggle over-stuffed pillows home. He was finished with their three bags by the door when Louis emerged from the bathroom, hair sticking up like he'd been electrocuted as he rubbed violently at it with a towel. 

“Hungry Lou?” Harry called to him as he collapsed down on the couch and started taking the lids off the platters of breakfast foods. The metal domes had done their work well, most of the food still quite warm.

“Starved. Putting on pants first though or we're never going to leave this room.” Louis replied, dropping his towel on top of Harry's head as he passed him on his way to the bed and the clothes he had shed there earlier. They'd been neatly folded on the edge of the mattress and he took wicked pleasure in making a mess of them before he pulled the entire outfit on. Watching him, Harry rolled his eyes at the grin he got when his careful work was torn apart and turned back to his food, stabbing a sausage and biting it in half.

“Your messy ways don't phase me anymore.” he sniffed, feeling rather than seeing Louis jump over the back of the couch then curl up against his side as if there wasn't room for at least three. A smile spread over his lips and he pressed a kiss to a still damp temple and his boyfriend stole the other half of his sausage.

“Sounds like a challenge to me.” Louis answered around a mouthful of meat then uncurled himself to make up a plate from the various dishes. “Didn't think I ordered this much.” he winced, not liking the idea of wasting any of the food. 

“We're growing boys. We'll make it fit.” Harry replied, getting his own plate of food, loading up on fruit and eggs. 

“Pretty sure I've heard that one before.” Louis smirked and settled down against Harry's side again with a contented sigh, munching through his breakfast and listening to the music coming from their alarm clock which had gone off while they were in the shower. Shovelling mouthfuls of food into their mouths didn't make for much conversation so they flicked on the television and watched the 24 hour news station to keep an eye on the time and an ear to what had been happening around the world during their vacation from reality. They discovered that the earth was still spinning, there had been no changes of power and that another celebrity had named their child something outrageous. All in all, the world was just as they'd left it. They finished eating at the same time the sports reel ended, leaving Louis shocked that they'd left only crumbs and that Man U had lost to a fourth division team.

“Useless wankers.” he grumbled, standing to dust off his shorts and toss a napkin on the stack of empty plates. Harry chuckled at him and stood as well, flicking the power off on the telly as well. 

“Absolutely useless. Shall we head off now? Don't want to miss our flight.” he suggested, patting Louis' shoulder consolingly while he continued to mutter about his favourite team.

“Might as well. Can't leave the boys to their own devices for too much longer. They probably haven't pulled a single decent prank without me.” the older boy agreed and glanced around the room one last time for anything they may have missed. 

“I'm sure Paul's glad for that.” Harry teased and headed for the bags, slinging two over one shoulder and holding the other against his chest. “Come on then babe.” he offered his free hand and Louis took it immediately, giving it a squeeze.

“You think they'll be happy that we figured our shit out?” he asked, pushing open the door and leading them into the hallway, giving their room one last look before the door swung shut again. 

“I think they'll be more relieved than we are.” Harry replied, a touch wistful. It had been a good weekend. He wished they could stay, just be the two of them for a little while longer but reality awaited them as did a week in a Californian recording studio. When Louis raised his eyebrows at the sigh in his voice, he explained his thinking, his boyfriend smiling sympathetically.

“Maybe we can come back some time.” he gave his hand a squeeze again then gave it a tug so that they'd start walking again towards the check out desk.

 

Waiting their turn at the check out desk behind the little Harry from the night before, the boys searched out their wallets and passports from Harry's expert packing job, flicking through the stamps that covered the pages of the maroon booklet to pass the time. The majority of the marks were the same though Louis had a few more due to management's penchant of flying him off to other European nations with his hired girlfriend. He grumbled over those ones and flipped to the last page to see how much room he had left until he had to get yet another passport.

“It's ridiculous that we fill up a book that's meant to last five years in space of nine months.” he muttered, tucking the passport into his back pocket when it was their turn at the counter.

“Maybe, but it's fun. I hope we fill a dozen of them before the end.” Harry replied, flashing a smile at the desk steward and handed over their paper work. The gentleman gave his own polite smile back and went to his computer to type in the needful. He came back shortly with papers to sign and a small box in hand. 

“I believe this is yours sir. At least the two of you resemble the people in the photos. It was brought it from the reef eco-tour yesterday afternoon.” he stated, opening the lid of the box to revel the waterproof camera inside. Both boys crowed with excitement and Louis snatched it up. He pressed the power button and was pleasantly surprised with the foolish picture from the boat with the pair of them in their goggles and snorkels. 

“This is ours! Fantastic! We thought we'd lost it for good. Thank you!” he clapped his hands out of sheer joy once the camera was securely wrapped around his wrist.

“Our pleasure. I hope you enjoyed your stay gentlemen. Please come again.” the steward replied with a slight nod of his head then a blink of his head as Harry dumped out the remainder of their Mexican funds on the counter. It was a substantial amount.

“We will. Here, I promised the man who brought us breakfast a tip. His name was Andres. Give him about a third and then the rest is for any one else who works here. It's the best vacation we've ever had.” he explained, patting the pile then snagging Louis' hand again. “Adios!” he called over his shoulder, making his boyfriend laugh and shake his head.

“One more for the road then?” Louis held up their camera with a smile and Harry nodded, cuddling together close for the selfie shot. Positioning the camera and hoping for the best with no screen to check in, Louis muttered a quiet countdown then quickly turned his head to plant a kiss on Harry's cheek just as the photo was taken. He wasn't the only one with the idea however, the other boy's head snapping to the side at the same time, their lips landing on each other rather than the intended cheeks. The camera caught it perfectly, forever documenting their rekindled love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's that. Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed with little tale. Please feel free to share the link with others who you think will like it. I've very proud of it after all. This is the first time I've finished a multi-chapter fic.
> 
> I like writing for this fandom so keep an eye out for one shots and if you like angst there's my fic Blown Apart Cages to check out too.


End file.
